Pacific Youth, Climate Justice, and the Myth of Political Change in Fiji
Source: The Diplomat
2026 promises to be an eventful voting year for Fiji. Campaign noise is rising, and the country’s political parties are courting young candidates in an effort to mobilize a disengaged youth vote.
Across Asia, youth-led movements have driven political upheaval, from Sri Lanka in 2022 to Bangladesh in 2024 and Nepal in 2025. Human Rights Watch’s Meenakshi Ganguly observed, “These movements weren’t driven by a desire for political change alone. They were driven by young people seeking better lives.”
Young people across global contexts are demanding structural change that meets existential needs, outlasting political parties and regimes. Yet with a national median age of 28, Fiji’s male-dominated, gerontocratic political class bears little resemblance to its demographic reality. If the familiar adage that the young must learn from their elders holds true, it is also worth considering that elders might learn from the young – not merely when electorally convenient.
Read More here.
2026 promises to be an eventful voting year for Fiji. Campaign noise is rising, and the country’s political parties are courting young candidates in an effort to mobilize a disengaged youth vote.
Across Asia, youth-led movements have driven political upheaval, from Sri Lanka in 2022 to Bangladesh in 2024 and Nepal in 2025. Human Rights Watch’s Meenakshi Ganguly observed, “These movements weren’t driven by a desire for political change alone. They were driven by young people seeking better lives.”
Young people across global contexts are demanding structural change that meets existential needs, outlasting political parties and regimes. Yet with a national median age of 28, Fiji’s male-dominated, gerontocratic political class bears little resemblance to its demographic reality. If the familiar adage that the young must learn from their elders holds true, it is also worth considering that elders might learn from the young – not merely when electorally convenient.
Read More here.