Children belong in school, not workplaces: Minister

Poverty and financial hardship cannot be used to justify child labour, Minister for Lands and Mineral Resources Filimoni Vosarogo says, warning that children belong in classrooms, not workplaces.

Speaking at Fiji's national commemoration of World Day Against Child Labour yesterday, Mr Vosarogo said the law was clear and children should not be subjected to labour regardless of their family's circumstances.

He said children were meant to learn, play and enjoy their childhood, while parents had a responsibility to ensure they attended school and received an education.

Mr Vosarogo said child labour remained a global challenge, with more than 100 million children engaged in various forms of labour worldwide.

He said Fiji was not immune to the problem and called for continued efforts to eliminate the practice.

Mr Vosarogo said the Government, together with the Fiji Commerce and Employers Federation and the International Labour Organization, remained committed to ending child labour and protecting children.

Students from 10 schools across Viti Levu attended the commemoration.

Mr Vosarogo said he hoped future events could be held at a larger venue to allow more schools to participate.

While acknowledging that some families, particularly those in poverty-stricken communities, relied on every household member to contribute financially, he said parents needed to focus on their children's long-term future.

Mr Vosarogo said children who completed their education and pursued tertiary studies would be better positioned to support their families as adults than those forced into work at a young age.

He also highlighted Government assistance programmes, including free education, transport assistance and social welfare support, which are intended to remove financial barriers to schooling.

Mr Vosarogo said authorities continued to tackle child labour through a joint task force involving the Ministry of Employment, Fiji Police Force, Ministry of Women, Children and Social Protection, and other stakeholders.

He also warned businesses against exploiting vulnerable children by paying them less for their labour.

Mr Vosarogo said employers, workers and Government agencies were united in their opposition to child labour and would continue working together to identify and address cases across the country.

World Day Against Child Labour is observed annually on June 12 to raise awareness of child labour and promote efforts to eliminate the practice worldwide.