FIJI HUMAN RIGHTS & ANTI-DISCRIMINATION COMMISSION ANNUAL REPORT 2018 22 2018 IN REVIEW The following provides an overview of the key human rights achievements in 2018 Complaints Rights of persons with disabilities The Commission investigated complaints in breach of section 42 of the Fijian Constitution and the nature of complaints ranged from allegation of physical threats made against persons with disabilities, denial of permanent employment by Ministry of Education due to a person’s disability and non-provisioning of sign interpreters in Court. Human Rights of Refugees The Commission intervened in the case of a Bangladeshi couple and their four-year child who were seeking asylum in Fiji, engaging with The Fijian immigration department and United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Canberra and National Human Rights Commission of Bangladesh. The Commission attended to a Bulgarian refugee who claimed unfair treatment by Fiji Police; held discussions with his lawyer and guided him to file his complaint with the Commission and also attended to concerns raised by three Afghanistani refuges seeking asylum status in Fiji. Seeking redress in court Two cases of alleged human rights violation were filed in court for redress. The cases were in relation to right to life and rights of arrested and detained persons. Submissions to Parliamentary Standing Committees Consistent with the constitutional mandate of making recommendations to Government concerning matters affecting the rights and freedoms guaranteed by the Fijian Constitution including recommendations concerning existing or proposed laws, submissions were made to relevant Parliamentary Standing Committees on Bills and International Covenents that explicitly affect human rights, which were: • • • Registration of Sex Offenders Bill Online Safety Bill International Covenants: International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and International Covenant on Economic Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR)