[File Photo]

The high rate of school dropout has significantly contributed to unemployment, wherein children have been forced to engage in illegal activities.

This has been highlighted in an assessment by the Fiji Council of Social Services.

Executive Director, Vani Catanasiga says a lot of children are unaware of the risk they have been exposed to when they are compelled to support their families.

“They are eager to push their youth towards supporting family funds. But we find that this also opens up risks of involvement in illicit activities. Some youth graduating from drug use to drug trafficking, in that sense, because they are tilling the land. So there are opportunities to do other things as well.”

Catanasiga believes that there are adequate legislation, but there are inadequate resources to ensure such an issue is addressed in rural and urban communities.

She also emphasizes the importance of integrity within law enforcement agencies, in order to avoid the influence of corruption in their workforce.

FCOSS has therefore called for genuine collaboration between the government and civil society organizations to tackle the issue head-on in the country.