The Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre (FWCC) is calling for a collective approach to tackling child abuse, saying the responsibility of protecting children should not rest on women alone.

The Centre raised concerns over the framing of a recent news report that followed comments by the Minister for Women, Children and Social Protection, Sashi Kiran, arguing that it reinforces the misconception that childcare and child protection are primarily women’s responsibilities.

FWCC says child abuse is a societal issue that demands the involvement and accountability of fathers, men, families, communities, institutions, faith leaders, educators, service providers and government agencies.

The Centre stresses that women already shoulder significant unpaid care and family responsibilities and should not be expected to carry the burden of ending child abuse on their own, particularly when offenders are often people known and trusted by the child.

According to the FWCC, violence against children cannot be addressed separately from broader issues such as violence against women, gender inequality, harmful gender norms and the culture of silence that protects perpetrators.

The organisation is also urging governments and institutions to strengthen child protection systems by ensuring they are accessible, adequately funded and responsive to the needs of survivors. It says lasting progress will require sustained investment, political commitment and a whole-of-society response.

The Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre has been supporting women and children affected by violence since 1984, with the statement drawing on more than four decades of experience in advocacy and survivor support.