The National Coordinating Committee on Child Protection has been reinstated to bolster efforts in safeguarding children’s welfare across Fiji. The revival of the committee comes as alarming statistics on child abuse continue to surface, calling for urgent and coordinated action.
Sashi Kiran, Minister for Women, Children, and Social Protection, opened the meeting with a call to action, stressing the need for a unified approach in tackling child protection challenges. The statistics are grim:
Further data from the Fiji Bureau of Statistics’ MICS Plus 2024-2025 survey reveals that a staggering 80% of children aged 1-14 experienced violent discipline within the past month. Disturbing new figures also show that the youngest rape victim was just three years old, and the youngest accused perpetrator was a mere 12 years old.
Minister Kiran emphasized the pivotal role of the new Department of Children in leading efforts to safeguard children’s rights, through child protection programs, advocacy, policy development, and education.
The Ministry is also collaborating with key stakeholders to launch a zero-tolerance campaign against violence, alongside developing community capacity-building programs, trauma awareness initiatives, and positive parenting training.
Upcoming legislative measures include the Adoption Act (2020), Child Justice Act (2024), and Child Care and Protection Act (2024), all aimed at strengthening child protection systems. Minister Kiran also highlighted plans to enhance child protection training, monitoring systems, and partner coordination in the coming months.
This revitalized National Coordinating Committee on Child Protection reaffirms Fiji’s commitment to ensuring every child is safe, protected, and provided the opportunity to thrive.