Dr-Najat-Maalla-Mjid

School dropouts, education challenges, labour mobility and poverty are contributing factors to child abuse, exploitation and neglect.

And kids in Fiji are increasingly getting involved in violence, are being identified as perpetrators in some cases and joining gangs.

The UN’s Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence Against Children, Dr Najat Maalla M’jid, says Fiji should look into what drives children to commit offenses instead of focusing on punishment or punitive measures alone.

She was in the country this week and met with Women, Children and Social Protection Minister Sashi Kiran and other stakeholders to discuss Fiji’s progress in addressing child abuse, exploitation and neglect.

Dr Najat says during her meeting, she was informed that Fiji was facing serious issues of children committing violence, enrolled in gangs and living on the streets.

FBC News asked Dr Najat whether developing and implementing more laws is the best way to address the issue.

“Now, I think what is important is you need a framework because this is important because some are crimes against children, and you need legislations that make sure that people who are perpetrating are duly prosecuted.”

FBC News also asked for her thoughts on the youngest victim of sexual abuse in Fiji last year was 3 and the perpetrator was 12.

“Regarding the case you just mentioned – we are seeing it worldwide, you know. Peer violence and the issue here is not really to detain and also to punish but to address the drivers – why we arrive at this stage? And this is what we are saying and I agree with you, it’s not more about policies.”

Dr Najat says developing a framework is critical but just as important is the need to translate it and all the accompanying legislation in action.

She also says there is a need also to ensure there is a bottom-up approach at community level and to ensure service delivery meets the level of need in terms of addressing child abuse cases.

Dr Najat says on a positive note, Minister for Women, Children and Social Protection Sashi Kiran and her ministry are “very action-oriented”, and Fiji has the support of the UN country team and UNICEF to assist with the issue of children who are committing violence.

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