IMPROVING the protection, welfare and safety of children remains an important agenda for the Ministry of Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation, says its Minister Mereseini Vuniwaqa.
Mrs Vuniwaqa said this had been guided with laws and policies by the Fijian Government and the provision of overall legal redress on issues of child abuse and neglect.
She highlighted this while welcoming her Indonesian counterpart Yohana Susana Yembisei and members of a visiting Indonesian Government delegation at a welcome dinner in Suva last week.
“We acknowledge that our performance in this area of work is most effective due to our interagency networks with various stakeholders within Government and the civil society including faith-based organisations and we are also thankful to this friendship with the Indonesian Government to further progress in this area,” she said.
“Women’s empowerment is an important agenda for the Fijian Government and we are proud to inform that it is part of our 5-20 years National Development Plan as well. This is a guiding tool for us in nation building and we are committed to ensure that women are not left behind. For the gender agenda to become a national priority, a lot of work from a lot of agencies was required.”
The delegation are in the country to attend the 4th Joint Technical Working Group (JTWG) meeting between the two country’s counterpart ministries, pertaining to a renewed agreement signed in mid-2018.
According to the ministry, the Joint Technical Working Group will review the progress and partnership made between the two counterpart ministries from Fiji and Indonesia.
