CHILDREN are the future of Fiji, and they deserve to be cared for within a holistic family environment.
This was highlighted by the permanent secretary for Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation, Dr Josefa Koroivueta at the national celebration of Preventing Child Abuse and Neglect (PCAN) in Lautoka on Sunday.
Dr Koroivueta reminded all parents and guardians on their responsibility to love and care for each other and their children.
“Parents have a sacred duty to their children in both love and righteousness, to provide for their physical and spiritual needs, to teach them to love and serve one another,” he said.
Dr Koroivueta said child abuse was a universal and alarming problem and increased attention and efficient protection skills and prevention measures were necessary at family, local, sub-national and national levels.
In 2017, there were 1145 reported cases of child abuse and neglect to the Ministry of Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation, which means that every day in 2017, three children were either being abused or neglected.
“The National Coordinating Committee for Children (NCCC) also launched the coalition between all partners of child protection in Government, NGOs and development partners to focus and increase prevention education,” Dr Koroivueta said.
He encouraged primary caregivers of children of their role in preventing child abuse and neglect during the school holiday and the Child Helpline 1325 was available for any referral from members of the public.
