'Must Act Now'
She urged stronger coordination across all sectors to combat violence, abuse, and neglect affecting children.
Sunday 02 March 2025 | 20:55
UN's Special Representative on Violence Against Children, Dr Najat Maalla M'jid. Photo: Inoke Rabonu
The United Nations' Special Representative on Violence Against Children, Dr Najat Maalla M'jid, has issued a stark warning to the Fijian Government-act now or risk failing an entire generation.
Dr M'jid stressed the urgency of tackling the escalating child protection crisis in Fiji.
She called for swift, coordinated action to address rising school dropouts, rampant drug use, and the spread of pornography among children.
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"The time for talk is over. Now is the time for bold, decisive action," she said.
"We must act faster, better, and together to solve this crisis."
Dr M'jid, who was in Fiji last week for the Child Wellbeing Summit in Suva, highlighted the gap between legislation and real implementation.
She urged stronger coordination across all sectors to combat violence, abuse, and neglect affecting children.
Stark statistics
Data from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (ODPP) revealed 242 victims of rape and sexual offences in 2023. Of these, 153 were under 18.
The ODPP reported that 146 cases involved domestic relationships or situations where the accused was known to the victim.
The youngest accused was a 12-year-old boy charged with raping a seven-year-old girl.
The youngest victim was a three-year-old girl allegedly raped by her 30-year-old uncle.
Solutions and coordination
Dr M’jid acknowledged the efforts of Minister for Women, Children and Social Protection Sashi Kiran, calling her “an action-oriented leader.”
She stressed that effective child protection requires a multi-sectoral approach, with all stakeholders—civil society, religious groups, and government agencies—taking responsibility.
“We need clear roles, accountability, and timeframes,” she said.
“This is not charity. We must ensure services are delivered where they are needed.”
She urged the Ministry of Finance to prioritise funding for child protection initiatives, warning that policies without resources would fail.
“It must be action-oriented, resource-oriented,” she said.
“We must assess what works, what doesn’t, and remove ineffective measures.”
Dr M’jid also called for a bottom-up approach, ensuring community voices, particularly those in grassroots areas, play a role in shaping policies and monitoring their effectiveness.
“Coordination should not just be at the government level. It must go down to the community to make it work,” she said.
She highlighted the urgent need for trained professionals in schools and rehabilitation centres to detect and assist children affected by drugs and abuse.
“Before increasing budgets, we must prioritise what truly needs government investment,” she said.
“Not just in buildings, but in human resources—teachers, counsellors, and rehabilitation specialists.”
Feedback: inoke.rabonu@fijisun.com.fj
