[Source: Parliament of the Republic of Fiji / Facebook]

The Ministry of Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation is currently carrying out a Rights of a Child Periodical Report workshop.

The workshop concludes tomorrow and focuses on promoting children’s rights in the country.

The Assistant Minister for Women and Children, Veena Bhatnagar, says the workshop is an opportunity for stakeholders to take stock of the work done and reflect on the challenges encountered since the last report in 2011.

“Fiji being a signatory to the Convention on the Rights of a child or CRC means we’re accountable to the United Nations in ensuring Fijian children have adequate access to their rights.”

Bhatnagar says consultations, workshops, and validation are scheduled to take place between this month and September in the central, western, and northern divisions.

“This is to ensure that relevant stakeholders participate and contribute meaningfully to this important process.”

UNICEF Representative Jonathan Veitch says Fiji has made commendable achievements in relation to children’s rights.

“If we compare recent data from Fiji, Kiribati, Tonga and Tuvalu, Fiji comes out on top in a number of areas for children under 18 whose households have received any social transfers or benefits in the past few months.”

Fiji will be the first Pacific island country to submit its Rights of a Child periodic report using the new simplified reporting system.

The report is due in October this year.