Vunilagi Book Club : lessons learnt from a grassroots initiative in an informal settlement in Fiji

Vunilagi Book Club is a recent example of innovative female leadership to promote literacy and education in an informal settlement in Fiji. Informal or “squatter” settlements in the capital of Fiji have existed for over 50 years and received significant (albeit intermittent) attention from foreign donors and the national government; yet, the underlying causes of poverty and disadvantage remain. This paper examines the case of a small-scale literacy community initiative with a qualitative approach based on close observation and participation in the group’s activities since its inception. These lessons learnt suggest that women are key agents of change in the community and that informal grassroots reading classes have the potential for improving the education of children in informal settlements. Closer study of the social relations and constraints within informal settlements suggests that solutions to the challenges of inequality and access to education must originate from within informal settlement communities.peer-reviewe

Informal settlements and social inequality in Fiji: evidence of serious policy gaps

The proliferation of iriformal or squatter settlements in Fiji reveals several issues that relate to social inequality. Issues such as economic, social and environmental conditions are inextricably linked to one another and they manifest inequalities that exist within, and between residents of the 200 informal settlements and other socia-economic groups in Fiji. Market oriented policies have increased the difficulties faced by low income earners. This paper seeks to highlight a number of social inequalities which have given rise to such settlements and their prevalence. Most prominent among the social inequalities that exist is the lack of access by residents of informal settlements to security of land tenure and adequate housing. Using a Rights based approach, the paper will examine income inequalities between households; land tenure inequality; spiraling property prices; and inequality in access to infrastructure, utilities and services (roads, electricity, and water supply, and health and education). The post-2006 government's policies relating to squatter upgrade and relocation will be considered