Shania Shayal Prasad 
[File Photo]
The $100,000 budget allocation for the new Department for Children will help raise the visibility of children’s issues.
Minister for Women, Children, and Social Protection Lynda Tabuya says such an initiative was much needed as alarming statistics reveal that four out of five children in Fiji face some sort of violence.
She adds that the new department will have its own separate Director and child support officers dedicated to streamlining services for children.
Tabuya says this is because social welfare officers played a dual role in handling this.
“We have the allocation now for four staff when we start on August 1st. We are discussing with some of our organizations, including UNICEF, how to support us in our programs.”
Children make up 35 percent of the population, reflecting Minister Tabuya’s urgency in prioritizing children and their welfare.
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