The Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre has denounced the Bill of Rights in the Bainimarama Government Draft Constitution as regressive and falling short of international norms on human rights protections...“The Draft Constitution restricts civil and political rights in significant ways, and is a major regression from the civil and political rights guaranteed by the 1997 Constitution.” [said Shamima Ali, Coordinator FWCC]...“Other worrying aspects of the Bill of Rights include the derogations from freedom of assembly and association for workers and union members.” said Ali. “Not only are trade union officials defined as holders of public office and are liable to have their freedom of assembly and association restricted, but freedom of association may be limited to regulate collective bargaining, employment disputes and strikes. In essence, the rights of workers to collective bargaining and fair employment practices are undermined by these allowable derogations from their basic human rights.”