Praneeta Prakash 
A diverse group of parents, child advocates, and community leaders gathered today to renew their commitment to ending child abuse and neglect.
The event, organized by Save the Children Fiji, commemorated Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect Day and World Children’s Day.
Save the Children Fiji Chief Executive Shairana Ali says they will never stop standing up for children.
Ali highlighted the global scale of the issue, stating that globally, one in four children experiences some form of abuse or neglect before adulthood.
“It is our collective responsibility to ensure that children are protected and that the system designed to care for them are robust, compassionate and effective. So as a society, we have made strides, but there’s still so much to do. Child Abuse and Neglect are not inevitable. They are preventable.”
Ali also spoke about the successes of the Safe Families Program, implemented in 24 Fijian communities.
“We reaffirm our commitment to solutions-based approach to preventing child abuse and neglect Save the Children. Fiji remains committed to advocating for stronger child protection laws at all levels of society to train professionals, teachers, healthcare providers, social workers, law enforcement, so they are better equipped to identify, prevent and intervene in cases of abuse.”
Save the Children Fiji and its partners are calling on stakeholders to advocate for stronger child protection laws, establish safe reporting channels for children, and continue investing in programs like Safe Families, which empower communities to build resilience.
