7th February, 2024.

Save the Children Fiji Issues Urgent Plea to Stop Violence Against Children After
Disturbing Video Goes Viral

Save the Children Fiji is appalled by a video circulating on social media depicting a parent
resorting to physical abuse as a means of disciplining a child. Such actions not only violate the
fundamental rights of the child but also perpetuate a cycle of violence with lasting detrimental
effects.

As an organization dedicated to the protection and well-being of children, SC Fiji condemns all
forms of violence against children, including corporal punishment. We firmly believe that every
child has the right to grow up in a safe and nurturing environment, free from fear and harm.

This video serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need for collective action to end violence
against children. It highlights the critical role that parents, caregivers, and bystanders play in
preventing and addressing such incidents. We call on every parent, guardian and caregiver to
seek support and guidance on positive discipline methods that promote healthy child
development and respect for children’s rights.

SCF Chief Executive Officer, Shairana Ali, stated that there should be zero tolerance for abuse
of any kind against vulnerable children in Fiji and every member of the community must learn
to speak up, stand up for child rights and protect children.

“We can no longer stand by and witness abuse against children in our communities and we
must band together to prevent such incidents from happening in the first place. The culture of
violence must be broken, and it is up to all members of the community to collectively fight this
injustice against children” she stated.

In light of this incident, Save the Children Fiji calls on the police to take swift and decisive action
against perpetrators of violence against children. We urge law enforcement agencies to
prioritize the investigation of such cases and ensure that perpetrators are held accountable for
their actions

SC Fiji urges bystanders who witness instances of child abuse to intervene safely and report
such incidents to relevant authorities. Silence in the face of violence only perpetuates the cycle
and puts children at further risk. SC Fiji stands in solidarity with the laws which prohibit all
forms of child abuse and ensures the protection of children from harm.

SC Fiji remains steadfast in its mission to ensure the safety, well-being, and dignity of every
child and will continue to advocate for policies and programs that protect children from all
forms of abuse and exploitation such as the Collective Action to End Violence Against Children
(CAEVAC) Program that currently run awareness programs in 24 communities advocating and
raising awareness about the importance of child protection.

Call the Child Helpline toll-free number 1325 available 24/7 or reach out to Save the Children
Fiji on 3313178 to report any concerns with children.

For media enquiries please contact Coletta.King@savethechildren.org or
Vika.Ramara@savethechildren.org

For more information, please send us an email on Info.Fiji@savethechildren.org or contact us at
+(679) 3313178

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10^th January 2024.

Save the Children Fiji is deeply concerned about the shocking and highly disturbing surge in reported cases of sexual offences against children, as highlighted in the December 2023 Rape and Sexual Offences Statistics released by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP).

The alarming data reveals a distressing pattern of abuse, with nine individuals facing a total of 44 charges related to sexual offenses in December alone. Of these charges, 33 were recorded as rape, four as indecent assault, and three as sexual assault. Additionally, particular concern is the fact that half of the incidents involved victims who were known or related to the perpetrators.

According to the ODPP report, two of the nine individuals charged were juveniles, emphasizing the pressing need for support systems to address the root causes of such behavior. Of the 10 victims identified, five were under the age of 18, with two males and eight females affected. These cases underscore the urgent need for comprehensive measures to address and prevent sexual violence against children.

Save the Children Fiji’s Chief Executive Officer, Shairana Ali, stated that the cases of violence against children and in particular, sexual violence afflicted on children point to a deeper problem within society. There is a total breakdown of morality, and it is unacceptable for such heinous crimes against children to become the norm. We urge a swift and comprehensive effort by the entire community to denounce these offenses in the harshest terms possible, to impose heavier penalties on those who commit them, and to increase funding for organizations that regularly assist communities in creating safe spaces for children.

SC Fiji is committed to working collaboratively with the government, law enforcement agencies, and communities to address the root causes of child sexual abuse and enhance protective mechanisms. SC Fiji calls for urgent and concerted efforts to strengthen the legal framework, improve access to support services for survivors, and raise awareness to prevent the devastating impact of sexual violence on children.

SC Fiji remains steadfast in its mission to ensure the safety, well-being, and dignity of every child and will continue to advocate for policies and programs that protect children from all forms of abuse and exploitation such as the Collective Action to End Violence Against Children (CAEVAC) Program that currently run awareness programs in 24 communities advocating and raising awareness about the importance of child protection. 

Call the Child Helpline toll-free number 1325 available 24/7 or reach out to Save the Children Fiji on 3313178 to report any concerns with children.

For media enquiries please contact Coletta.King@savethechildren.org or Vika.Ramara@savethechildren.org

For more information, please send us an email on Info.Fiji@savethechildren.org or contact us at +(679) 3313178

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Urgent Call to Action for Child Safety During School Holidays

12th December, 2023.

Save the Children Fiji (SCF) is making an urgent call on all members of society to collectively
prioritize the safety of children especially as families prepare for the festive season.

Recent incidents underscore the challenges we face in protecting our children. According to the latest statistics from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP), alarming cases involving abduction, rape, and sexual assault have been reported. A 19-year-old woman faces charges for the abduction, rape, and sexual assault of a 16-year-old girl, while a 19-yearold man is charged with the rape of his 14-year-old nephew. Additionally, a 35-year-old man has been charged with the rape of his 15-year-old niece, and a 22-year-old man faces charges for the rape of his 12-year old niece. These horrific and shameful incidents highlight the urgency of collective efforts to safeguard the well-being of every child.

In light of these concerns, Save the Children Fiji Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Shairana Ali, emphasizes the importance of parental and guardian responsibility. “Every year and especially during the school holidays, children get into accidents and sustain injuries, and quite unfortunately, some children have even lost their lives. It is imperative on parents and guardians to supervise and monitor their children, even when they are within the vicinity of their own homes”.

Ms Ali calls on parents, guardians, and those in caregiving roles to take their roles seriously and make a commitment to themselves and their families that children in their care will be safe and protected and not come in harm’s way. Unsupervised loitering can expose children to potential dangers and parents should be more vigilant about their whereabouts during the holidays.

As adverse weather conditions become more prevalent, it is essential to educate children about the dangers associated with such events. “There are a range of hazards, especially as we are in the cyclone season, which coincides with the festive season, and we reiterate to all the duty bearers to look out for risks that may be a source of harm to children’s well-being and mitigate those risks”, says Save the Children Fiji CEO.

In addition to external factors, SCF asks all families to remain attentive to hazards within the home and community. Parents are urged to reinforce safety measures to protect children from accidents, especially house fires. The holiday period can exacerbate neglect and abuse concerns and it is everyone’s responsibility to be alert to signs of distress or mistreatment and report any suspicions promptly to the appropriate authorities.

SCF is appealing to nightclub owners to exercise utmost diligence in verifying the age of patrons. Entertaining or permitting minors in establishments that serve alcohol can have severe consequences. Communities need to work collaboratively to prevent underage access to venues where drugs and alcohol are present. With the festive season approaching, there is a heightened risk of exposure to drugs and alcohol. Parents and guardians are encouraged to
engage in open and honest conversations with children about the dangers associated with substance abuse.

By addressing these key points and fostering a sense of community responsibility, SCF hopes that families can collectively create an environment that ensures the safety and well-being of children during the school holiday period.

For media inquiries, please contact Vika.Ramara@savethechildren.org or Coletta.King@savethechildren.org

For more information visit our website www.savethechildren.org or contact us on +(679)3313178 or Info.Fiji@savethechildren.org

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Save the Children Fiji is gravely concerned with the current child protection concerns
revealed in the local media. The latest statistics released by the Director of Public
Prosecution revealing that ten children were victims of serious sexual offences last
month is a shameful wake-up call to everyone to end this horrendous and uncalled-for
offences against children in Fiji. Equally concerning are the recent media reports of
children eating glue on bread and drinking hand sanitizers call for immediate
intervention from authorities, parents, and guardians.

“Save the Children Fiji Chief Executive Officer, Shairana Ali is calling out perpetrators
who have broken the trust of children. She stated that the statistics indicate that most
of the children were sexually abused by people known to them, including family
members who are supposed to protect and care for their well-being. Save the
Children Fiji condemns such heinous crimes against children in the strongest terms
and is calling for strong and swift prosecution against these perpetrators who have
broken the trust of children. Children deserve to live in safe and supportive
environments and it is painful and sad that they are subjected to the worst forms of
abuse. Sexual abuse of children must stop immediately and we are calling on everyone
in society to band together and advocate on behalf of children and create safe and
violence-free communities for children.

The serious issue of children turning to toxic substances is a grave social and
community issue and if not addressed now, children will be left with destroyed lives.
Ali stated’’

Parents and guardians need to understand that open communication with children
under their care is crucial to keeping them aware about the dangers of inhaling
harmful chemicals. We also know that children may want to ingest toxic substances
through peer pressure, wanting to explore their environment, and in an attempt to get
high. Children exposed to toxic substances or drugs at a young age are susceptible toproducing poor grades, low self-esteem, memory challenges, attention deficits, and
poor social skills.

Article 19 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child states that all children
should be protected from abuse and neglect

Apart from the immediate physical injuries, a child’s reaction to abuse and neglect can
have lifelong and even intergenerational impacts. This can also cause a variety of
psychological problems, child victims can feel isolated, fear, and distrust which can
translate into lifelong psychological consequences that can manifest as educational
difficulties, low self-esteem, depression, and maintaining relationships.

Although the consequences of child abuse and neglect weigh heavily on the shoulders
of the children who experience it, society also pays a price in that is hospitalizations
and likely foster care payments including long-term care, lost productivity at school,
juvenile and criminal justice systems costs.

Save the Children Fiji’s child protection awareness programs in 24 communities in the
Central Division and 10 communities in the western division advocating and raising
awareness of the importance of child protection.

Call the Child Helpline toll-free number 1325 available 24/7 or reach out to Save the
Children Fiji on 3313178 to report any concerns with children.

For media queries please contact:
Communications
kelly.vacala@savethechildren.org
vika.ramara@savethechildren.org

Save the Children is concerned by reports that the de facto authorities in Afghanistan have instructed international organizations to halt education services provided to children. Quality education is a fundamental right and lifeline to all children and the key to Afghanistan’s future. 

Save the Children is currently delivering 2,160 Community-Based Education classes in 10 provinces across Afghanistan, reaching over 70,000 girls and boys. 

We call upon the authorities to eliminate restrictions on children’s access to education.

Save the Children has been working in Afghanistan since 1979 delivering vital services, including education, and we remain unwavering in our commitment to providing independent, principled, lifesaving assistance to children and families in Afghanistan.”

For media queries please contact:

Communications

kelly.vacala@savethechildren.org

vika.ramara@savethechildren.org

I Am Digital is a digital literacy and safety initiative which aims to deliver educational information on Online Safety.  It is to empower Pacific Islands teenagers, youth and parents on how to have safer and more positive online experiences. The pilot phase 2 of I Am Digital ran for five weeks and during that time, reached 7.1 million people and was viewed 12.65 million times on Facebook alone.

A new, expanded phase of the I Am Digital social media campaign launched today, as the campaign shares a series of educational fact sheets, videos, quick tips and advice addressing media literacy, scam prevention, reporting mechanisms and safety topics, including account security, communicating respectfully.

Two new topics has also been added to the suite of I Am Digital resources, being media literate and Spotting and Avoiding Online Scams. These resources have been developed in consultation with SCF’s focus group members aged between 13 and 17years, including the Rainbow Pride Foundation, Fiji Vocational Technical Training Centre for Persons with Disability, Plan International, Online Safety Commission, Cybercrime Unit, Fiji Police Force and the Ministry of Education.

 
Incorporating the feedback received from phase 2 into the project design of phase 3, hardcopies of the online quick tips and factsheets have been printed into posters and booklets and these educational materials has been distributed to 4 schools in the central division and will continue to be delivered to schools in the west in weeks to come, enabling students’ greater access to Online Safety educational materials, even those students and schools with limited or no internet access.

Since its inception, the development of I Am Digital has been shaped and guided by a Pacific Islands Advisory Group established by Save the Children and Meta in mid-2020, comprising government and youth representatives from the region, as well as child and online safety experts.

The Acting Minister for Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation, who is also the Minister for Health and Medical Services, Honorable Atonio Rabici Lalabalavu said, “The campaign is timely in that it will empower and protect those who are vulnerable and at risk of being scammed online, as the scams are real and number of scammers and scam programs and messages on social media platforms continue to rise. I am sure, we have come across a scam message when we were last online, or know of someone who have been a victim of online scamming. People have lost an exorbitant amount of their hard earn money and savings through scams.”

The Hon. Lalabalavu further expressed, “The “I AM DIGITAL – PHASE 3” project is particularly important because it promotes online safety for children in schools. I acknowledge and thank the Ministry of Education for their support allowing Save the Children to pilot the program in selected schools in Fiji. I commend the various partners, Save the Children, Ministry of Education, the Project schools, and Meta for coming together and forming this partnership to address this concerning issue that our children and young people face on social media platforms.”

Shairana Ali, CEO of Save the Children Fiji said:” The I AM Digital online safety campaign has come a long way since Save the Children first began working in partnership with Meta back in 2020. You will hear about our journey later on in the program but I wanted to mention that over the past several years, we have collectively delivered safety messages to over 966342 individuals. The campaign has helped protect many vulnerable community members and young people from the dangers of the digital world and educated and empowered them to become responsible digital citizens. This in itself is a remarkable achievement and is very much aligned with Save the Children’s global ambition for children that states and I quote; ‘that by the year 2030, children are protected and violence against children is no longer tolerated’. Save the Children Fiji’s 2022 2024 strategy has a key goal on Child Protection and aims to ensure that all children in Fiji live lives which are free from all forms of exploitation, abuse and violence including the risks posed by the modern social media platforms. Our strategy for the Pacific also calls on protecting children.’’

 Mr. Nick McDonnell, Meta’s Head of Public Policy for New Zealand and the Pacific Islands said, “To develop this initiative, our mission from our team when we particularly focus on the Pacific and particularly focus on our work and Fiji and other countries across the region is really to work to create safe, connected, resilient and empowered communities. And we do that through a number of different areas. Online safety is our key. Across the region, particularly coming out of COVID and connecting again with the world, but it’s just really to give you an example of how we look at our relationship across the region as multifaceted, but online safety is our particular focus today and it dominates most of our work across the region.”

Mrs. Cheryl Seeto, the Head of Policy Programs, Australia, New Zealand & Pacific Islands at Meta said, “I Am Digital is such an important initiative for us at Meta given our focus on online safety for the Pacific islands region and it’s a project that we’ve really shaped and developed from the very beginning with Save the Children also with young people and with organizations locally across Pacific Island countries. “

“I’d really like to take this opportunity to acknowledge and thank the Government of Fiji and particularly their Ministry of Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation and the Ministry of Education for your support and your openness to the I Am digital program and in bringing its educational resources into schools in Fiji. We really welcome your feedback on the relevance and usefulness of this pilot initiative for young people in Fiji and hope that it can continue to be successful and that we will have the opportunity to expand the school visits into other countries in the future.”

To provide an opportunity to interpret the findings of the law and vertical impression of the launch of the Online Safety Campaign called I Am Digital Phase 3 which is solely funded by Meta. The I Am Digital campaign brings about changes within the local communities because of it’s separate engagements bringing about

The I Am Digital fact sheets, including the online safety quick tips and advice, have been delivered in English as well as 7 other languages: Bislama, Fijian-Itaukei, Fijian Hindi, Kiribati, Samoan, Tok Pisin and Tongan.

The complete set of I Am Digital educational resources, including language translations, will be permanently housed and accessed free of charge at the following link: I Am Digital Archive – We Think Digital – Pacific Islands (fb.com)

For more information please contact:

Fiji/Samoa/Tonga: Afsrin.Ali@savethechildren.org or Vika.Ramara@savethechildren.org
Meta: cseeto@meta.com

-ENDS-

“SC Fiji is particularly concerned with the data released from the ODPP and has noted that
between December 2022 to March 2023 alone, 39 children suffered from sexual abuse. SC Fiji
believes that sexual abuse of children is a heinous crime for which perpetrators must receive
maximum sentencing and the justice system must not fail the innocent children who suffer from
such atrocious offences. Equally concerning is the findings from the recent rape case analysis
conducted by the Fiji Women’s Rights Movement (FWRM) which has highlighted that Fiji’s justice
system is still applying the ‘first offender’ discount in 2 out of 3 cases where the perpetrator
committed multiple offending. SC Fiji reiterates that no discounts should be offered to multiple
offending and the justice system and courts in Fiji must always make judgements in the best
interest of these children.’’ SC Fiji Chief Executive Officer, Shairana Ali said.

“The rape case analysis has highlighted that the average age of the victim is 14 years old and that
in 70 percent of the cases, the victim knew the accused with the youngest victim being only 2 years
old. These findings are appalling and demonstrate that sexual violence against children in Fiji is
worsening and, there are children who continue to be subjected to horrific acts which has long
term impact on their health and wellbeing. Sexual violence is a gross violation of children’s rights
and must not be condoned by anyone in society.’’ Ali added.

SC Fiji is calling for a whole of community approach to stop sexual abuse of children. A collective
approach is needed so that everyone in the community is empowered to speak up and come
forward to report any inappropriate behaviour towards children. SC Fiji is currently scaling up a
Safe Families program to empower parents and children to learn about preventing violence and
abuse against children and to make homes and communities safe for children.

“A national partnership on child protection is key and we call on the government, civil society and
faith based organisations to strengthen child protection systems and work collectively with SC Fiji
to end violence and abuse of children in our community. A consistent and continuous approach is
required to change attitudes and behaviours towards children and to promote child rights and
child protection in communities and the onus is on everybody to do their part because sexual
violence against children is not acceptable and preventing such crimes is society’s responsibility to
children.’’ Ms Ali said.

Save the Children Fiji is currently implementing a five year collective action to end violence against
children program in 24 communities and has recently completed the program in all communities
on Koro Island. Our aim is to take this program nationwide to all communities and homes and
create safer families and communities which are safe and free from violence against children.

For more information please contact:

Vika Ramara, SC Fiji Communications Officer, Vika.Ramara@savethechildren.org

Save the Children Fiji commends the new Government for taking swift steps to
initiate a $50 million back-to-school support program. The program is needed
because as per recent statistics received by SCF, there are more than 3000 children
in primary and secondary education who are in need of school bag kits and stationery
items.

The recent announcement for back-to-school assistance is timely and is going to help
many families who are feeling the impact of the global crisis.

Save the Children Fiji Chief Executive Officer, Mrs. Shairana Ali is urging parents to
liaise with their children’s schools and ensure they are applying for this assistance.
“Similar cash assistance programs have been widely implemented by Save the
Children Fiji over the past two years, and we have witnessed the advantages such
cash assistance programs have on families,” said Ali.

“In almost all instances, cash provided by Save the Children was spent meeting
children’s immediate needs and therefore, we have no doubt that parents will spend
the recent assistance from the Government to meet their children’s needs. The
Government has indicated that parents should receive priority, however, it is unclear
at this time whether guardians are also eligible. From our data, we know that many
children are financially supported by their grandparents, uncles, aunts, and siblings,
and they frequently struggle to send the children in their care to school. We ask the
Government to take this into consideration and open the assistance program to
guardians.”

Save the Children Fiji is also aware that the Ministry of Education is considering
reviewing the policy on corporal punishment and as the leading child rights
organization, we strongly recommend that any modifications suggested be in line
with international standards and best practices for the protection of children’s rights.
“We stress the need to maintain a zero-tolerance policy toward violators and that
anyone found guilty of sexually abusing or exploiting students must be dealt with in
accordance with our laws” added Mrs. Ali.

Save the Children Fiji continues to work closely with relevant line Ministries to
promote and protect the rights of children. This year, Save the Children will continue
implementing a range of child-centered programs and services throughout Fiji.
These programs include Save the Children Fiji’s Collective Action to End Violence
Against Children (CAEVAC) project which targets 24 communities in the Central
division. The CAEVAC project team will continue to advocate for and raise awareness
to end violence against children through training and awareness by working with the
communities and respective Government ministries. The team will also work closely
with the organization’s Kids Link Fiji club and community focal points.

Our new Canada Fund Local Initiatives (CFLI) program will this year promote and
strengthen Parenting Without Violence methods in nine villages on Koro Island to
help reduce violence against children.

Save the Children Fiji’s Child-Centred Risk Reduction (CDRR) in 2023 will continue
building the resilience of communities and schools through awareness created from
the rolling out of the Family Safety App and also work with the Ministry of Education
on the School Context Analysis. This also includes the distribution of school safety
equipment to target schools in the Western and Central Divisions.

To promote online safety, SCF will continue rolling out phase three of its IAM Digital
Online Safety Campaign in collaboration with Meta and the Ministry of Education in
schools, to ensure young people have a safer, more positive experience online and
know how to safeguard themselves against abuse, bullying, and exploitation.

The Resilience through Knowledge and Action and Food Security (KANA) project will
continue to increase the resilience of communities and improve children’s well-being
with increased family income through commercial agriculture, strengthen community
disaster risk management and promote food security and nutrition. The KANA project
team will this year strengthen linkages between farmers and markets, construct
collection centers for farmers in Ra and Koro Island, and facilitate nutritional training
for schools and communities.

The Water Sanitation and Hygiene Project (WASH) will also continue working
together with target schools and communities within the Ra province this year to
promote WASH intervention to mitigate the risk of WASH-related diseases amongst
children.

For media queries please contact:
Communications
kelly.vacala@savethechildren.org
vika.ramara@savethechildren.org
–ENDS-

Wednesday, 30 November 2022 – Save the Children, in partnership with Meta, is proud to launch the third phase of the ‘I Am Digital’, an online safety education program delivering digital literacy and safety resources in seven Pacific nations, including Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Samoa, Tonga, Vanuatu and Kiribati.

This third edition of the program builds on previous work to promote internet safety in the Pacific with tools and resources for parents, educators and youth directly. Launching into schools in Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Tonga today, the program will support young people who don’t yet have access to the internet, before they get online.

For the first time, the programs resources will now include information and advice on avoiding scams and identifying and combating misinformation.

These new topics provide additional safety measure to the current learning materials – factsheets, practical tips and videos – which empower young people to have safer, more positive experiences online and safeguard against abuse, bullying and exploitation.

In Fiji, the offline mode of the I Am Digital program will comprise printed copies of the educational materials disseminated into local schools, in collaboration and consultation with the Ministry of Education, Heritage and Arts.

Save the Children Fiji welcomes the idea proposed by the Ministry of Education, Heritage and Arts (MEHA) to use various avenues available to promote the I Am Digital educational materials on their Educational Channel, the teachers’ talanoa platform, the learning hub, and MEHA’s various social media platforms, as well as to pre-load the educational materials through their device initiative.

This third edition of the ‘I Am Digital’ social media campaign will be rolled out over the next five weeks and will be delivered in nine locally spoken languages and English.

Save the Children Fiji Chief Executive Officer Shairana Ali said:

“The ‘I Am Digital’ online safety campaign is more important than ever, especially as young people use a variety of social media platforms these days at an increasing rate. We are pleased with how the campaign has evolved and how the campaign content responds to the emerging issues about online safety voiced by young people in the Pacific region.

“In order to empower young people about digital safety and to collaborate with teachers to spread the campaign’s messages to a large number of young people, Save the Children Fiji has partnered with the Ministry of Education, Heritage, and Arts (MEHA) in Fiji to implement the third phase of the campaign in selected schools.

“We anticipate that this new effort will assist in enlightening and empowering more members of the community about online safety.”

Meta Head of Public Policy for New Zealand and Pacific Islands Nick McDonnell said:

“Meta is proud to continue our impactful partnership with Save the Children in the Pacific to launch this next edition of our leading education program ‘I Am Digital’. I’m especially proud the program is being delivered across seven Pacific countries in nine locally spoken languages, and English.

“The I Am Digital program is so important in the Pacific to empower young people, parents and educators to connect safely and responsibly when they go online.

“We’re excited to see the expansion of the ‘I Am Digital’ program to include combatting scams, misinformation and that the program will be rolled out in certain schools. We hope this will broaden the reach of the program to even more parents, young people and teachers, but also provide important education messaging to young people yet to come online.”

ENDS

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Save the Children Fiji: Vika.Ramara@savethechildren.org  

For more information, please visit:

Most recently, a video of two minors went viral on Facebook that showed young girls in very vulnerable situations. It is alleged that they walked back from school and were lost for hours because the school bus failed to transport them back home as their bus fare card did not have enough funds. Children have the right to safety and security at all times. Save the Children Fiji reiterates that the onus is on parents, teachers and transport providers, and the community to always act in the best interest of children and ensure that children are protected at all times.

In another alarming recent incident, a 6-year-old child lost her life unfortunately when she became trapped in a house fire. Save the Children Fiji urges parents and caregivers, to continue to monitor, protect and be more responsive to their children’s safety needs. We call on parents to identify safety hazards within their homes and educate their children on these hazards and practice fire safety drills. Our hope is that with education, children will have the knowledge to recognize the dangers and act quickly if and when required.

Save the Children Fiji Chief Executive Officer, Shairana Ali said, “Children in homes, schools and in general must be closely supervised and protected. Parents must check that the basic necessities of their children are met before they go to school; whether it’s their bus cards, school lunches, proper uniform attire, water bottles, etc., this will avoid placing children in such predicaments.

Transport providers should never refuse a child from boarding the buses, instead, they should practice compassionate approaches. Teachers also have a role to play in these crucial circumstances and can do a quick check daily with each child to ensure that they have their bus cards. It is important that duty bearers educate children about safety and being able to recognize when they may be in danger as well as being able to act quickly so that they are not harmed.’’

The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) statistics on sexual offences in the month of June 2022 stated that there were 18 cases of sexual abuse and 10 out of the 18 cases were children below 18 years of age. The Child Services Unit (CSU) has reported 3,237 child abuse cases over last two years. Such heinous crimes against children and women should not be tolerated and the perpetrators must swiftly face the full brunt of the law.

Save the Children Fiji would like to advise the general public, specifically parents and duty bearers to be vigilant about their children’s safety.

For media queries please contact:

Communications

Coletta.king@savethechildren.org

Kelly.vacala@savethechildren.org

–ENDS-