News

Draft child safety policy on final phase

May 12, 2022 12:30 pm

More effort is being made by the Child Services Unit to reduce the alarming statistics on child cases.

More effort is being made by the Child Services Unit to reduce the alarming statistics on child cases.

Ministry for Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation Permanent Secretary Jennifer Poole says this includes finalizing the draft National Child Safeguarding Policy – a first for Fiji.

Fiji recorded a decrease in child cases from 1, 719 in 2020 to 1, 518 in 2021.

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However, Poole says these figures are still alarming.

“The decrease in reporting in 2021 can be due to COVID 19 restrictions as schools were closed borders were in place, and there were movement restrictions for the safety of the public. But despite that little decrease, these statistics are way too high.”

Poole says the policy includes concrete action to safeguard children.

“We need this tool now and most urgently, and it is our responsibility as organizations working with children, as Government and as the larger family of every Fijian child to ensure that our children are safeguarded against all ills.”

The Ministry is hoping to finalize the policy in July before it’s endorsed by the cabinet.