News

Save the Children highlights on the need to protect children

September 6, 2020 7:50 am

Save the Children Fiji has praised the ODPP for acting swiftly and filing formal indictments so that child abuse perpetrators are charged and held accountable.

Chief executive Shairana Ali says the August statistics are particularly confronting as the cases involve children.

There were 15 cases out of which 13 were under the age of 18 years.

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Ali says article 19 on the Convention on the Rights of the Child, which Fiji signed in 1993 states that children must be protected from abuse, neglect, and exploitation therefore as a signatory of the Convention, duty-bearers must ensure that children’s safety and protection is paramount.

She says as a child rights organization, they are empowering communities to take ownership of children’s well-being.

Save the Children is establishing child protection committees in communities to ensure that these committees act as custodians for children and monitor their well-being.

The committees are responsible for preventing child abuse and report cases of abuse to relevant authorities.

Ali is calling on the State and everyone to collectively commit themselves to end violence against children now and in this case, child sexual abuse.

She adds Fiji, is well-positioned to form a strong alliance on child protection that works closely with faith-based organizations to address these issues.