In the Pacific, local communities and municipal councils in Fiji have been stepping up to transform how cities grow, adapt, and care for their people.
Through the Joint SDG-Funded initiative "Accelerating Multi-Level Action for SDG Localization," communities across Fiji are translating abstract global goals into practical, community-led sustainable development—empowering cities like Suva to lead on resilience, inclusion, and sustainability, while inspiring other small island states to follow suit.
In 2025, Suva- the capital of Fiji- achieved a historic milestone by becoming the first city in a Pacific Small Island Developing State to develop a Voluntary Local Review (VLR) of the SDGs.
Suva’s 2025 VLR presents a detailed snapshot of the city’s progress and challenges across eight priority SDGs. On health (SDG 3), Suva alarmingly was reported to have 573% rise in HIV cases since 2017, while another area of deep concern were pedestrian road injuries which the report highlighted were most common among children aged 4–10. For gender equality (SDG 5), 70% of women in Suva are in the labor force, yet early marriage and unpaid labor remain issues, with 8% of women married before age 15 and over a third engaged in unpaid or subsistence work.
On water and sanitation (SDG 6), 94% of residents have access to safely managed sanitation, though the report highlighted inequalities in access within the city with the Samabula ward lags behind. Decent work and economic growth (SDG 8) remains uneven, with 27% of jobs informal and just 15.75% of adults holding bank accounts—women particularly disadvantaged. Suva’s infrastructure (SDG 9) is dominated by bus transport (46%) and a growing taxi fleet. Urban sustainability (SDG 11) faces strain from 23 informal settlements and 78% of Fiji’s homeless population reside on Suva’s streets. On climate action (SDG 13), the city needs to develop a climate resilience strategy and emissions dropped from a 2010 peak of 196,316 metric tons to 132,066 in 2022, with energy's share falling from 55% to 35%.
Suva’s VLR outlines a comprehensive set of recommendations to accelerate the city’s progress toward the SDGs. Key among these is the establishment of an SDG Implementation Committee to coordinate and monitor SDG integration across all sectors. The city will finalize its Five-Year Development Plan, prioritizing sustainable infrastructure, inclusive public services, and resilience-building in alignment with SDG targets. Strategic initiatives include advancing the City Council Farmers Market and Bus Station project—vital for SDG 8—through external funding partnerships, and promoting sustainable transport through EV adoption, expanded public transit, and non-motorized mobility. The VLR emphasizes equitable access to essential services by upgrading informal settlements and supporting vulnerable groups, while also encouraging cultural preservation through community-led events and education. To ensure evidence-based policymaking, the SCC is advised to establish a Research and Development Unit and to align budget allocations with the city’s SDG priorities, including climate finance and green infrastructure investments.
ESCAP and UN-Habitat play a pivotal role in the Joint SDG Fund–supported project in Fiji by providing technical leadership, strategic guidance, and institutional support to localize the SDGs at the city level. Working under the coordination of the UN Resident Coordinator, ESCAP leads the overall implementation and engagement with the Ministry of Local Government and Suva city council while UN-Habitat brings its deep expertise working with Lautoka City Council and recently Labasa Town Council.
The project is being implemented at a critical juncture, as Fiji prepares for local government elections—expected to take place in 2025—for the first time in over 16 years, marking a significant return to democratic local governance. Against this backdrop, the initiative not only supports the historic development of Suva’s first Voluntary Local Review (VLR)—a milestone for Pacific Small Island Developing States—but also scales its impact by supporting VLRs in Lautoka and Labasa and rolling out a national training programme for all 13 local councils. Through this partnership, ESCAP and UN-Habitat are helping to embed democratic participation, accountability, and sustainability at the heart of local development, ensuring no one and no place is left behind.
Co-chaired by Ms. Seema Sharma, Permanent Secretary for the Ministry for Local Government and the UN Resident Coordinator Mr. Dirk Wagener, the project fosters a network of city and town councils dedicated to sustainability. Local governments are now equipped with tools, data, and strategies to align their planning with the SDGs, ensuring no one and no place is left behind.
As Fiji leads the way, it sends a message across the Pacific and beyond that sustainable development starts in our neighborhoods, in our cities, and in the heart of communities determined to build a better future.
This article was originally published on https://pacific.un.org/en/296798-pacific-pioneers-how-fijian-cities-and-towns-are-shaping-sustainable-future
