Shania Shayal Prasad 
[Photo: FILE]
The Ministry of Employment has identified 272 cases of child labour over the past few years.
64 cases were recorded in 2021, while 10 cases were reported last year.
Child Labour Taskforce Team, made up of several government agencies and partners, continues to raise awareness and address the issue across the country.
Fiji Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination Commission Director Loukinikini Lewaravu says child labour remains a concern and more work is needed to address its root causes.
“And so it is a sad view to see that when our kids are becoming older, they tend to be neglected and wander off in the streets. So it is a concern for the families and how they treat their children.”
Lewaravu says some children end up on the streets due to issues, and addressing these causes is key to providing the right support and intervention.
“Why are they on the streets? Is it family, is it peer pressure, or is it anything else? Because if we do look at those issues of why they are there, then we are able to provide appropriate and relevant intervention. So if it’s the family, then proper agencies are able to address that with the families.”
Minister for Employment Agni Deo Singh says keeping children in school remains one of the key strategies to prevent child labour.
Singh says labour laws clearly define child labour and outline the age at which children can participate in light work, and such work must not affect a child’s health, development or education.
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