Ministry to formulate legal and policy framework
THE Ministry of Women, Children, and Social Protection will prioritise the formulation of a legal and policy framework for Fiji’s child protection system, says minister Lynda Tabuya.
Speaking in Parliament this week, Ms Tabuya said the comprehensive draft Childcare and Protection Bill and Child Justice Bill would be prioritised this year.
It is understood the Bills will be enacted to replace the 1974 Juvenile Act.
Ms Tabuya said the Childcare and Protection Bill and the Child Justice Bill would look into upgrading the Child Protection Services Unit under the Department of Social Welfare.
This will evolve into the Department of Children, with its own director, assistant director, and specialised child welfare officers at both national and divisional levels.
According to Ms Tabuya, the mandate of the Department of Children will strengthen families and child protection, alternative care and adoption, children in conflict with the law.
This, she said, included community-based correction and rehabilitation of children, child rights monitoring and reporting and child protection in emergencies.
“Child protection officers will be appointed to provide for their specialisation and delivery of quality services,” she said.
“Ultimately, I see a Fiji where everybody in our society sees protecting children from harm as their responsibility; and we all share an understanding of what we need to do to action children’s rights, their development, their future, and their wellbeing.
“I am excited that these initiatives bring us many steps closer to this vision.
“We want to give all of Fiji’s children the best future they can possibly imagine.”