PCAN to highlight child protection

Also known as Blue Ribbon campaign, the purpose of the exercise is to raise the level of awareness on creating a safer environment for children in Fiji.

PCAN was officially launched by the Ministry of Social Welfare in 2009 and is commemorated annually on the 19^th of November in synergy with the anniversary of the International Day for the Rights of the Child, which falls on November 20^th.

Ministry of Social Welfare, Women and Poverty Alleviation permanent secretary Mr Govind Sami said the campaign will target communities and schools to understand the importance of child protection.

“The ministry is mandated to look after the interests of children and we are duty bound to ensure a holistic development of children in Fiji. Our target is to create a violence free environment for our children, where they are protected from all forms of abuse. This can be achieved by developing a community, which is safe for the welfare and upbringing of children,” Mr Sami said.

Mr Sami said welfare offices in Western, Northern, Central and South/Eastern divisions have organized programs this week to mark the PCAN celebrations.

“Awareness programs have been organized in the divisions throughout the country this week and we are requesting people to wear blue to celebrate the day,” he said.

The theme for the campaign will be the same as the one advocated during the Hibiscus celebration this year, which is “Our Children Our Future Love and Protect Them.”

“The ministry’s focus this year was to change from having ‘one day’ events to organizing activities over a period of time so as to ensure that people’s perception and behavior towards children change positively. With the assistance of the Hibiscus Events Group and UNICEF we were able to disseminate the message “Our Children Our Future Love and Protect Them” not only in the wider Suva community but to every home in Fiji where Hibiscus highlights were shown on TV and through the news media,” Mr Sami said.

Mr Sami said the increase in the number of child abuse cases reported to the ministry is an indication that people are now well informed on the need for them to report all cases of child abuse and neglect cases they come across.

“We receive reports almost on a daily basis of child abuse and neglect and social welfare officers are duty bound to ensure that there is some form of counseling provided to these children. It is so in terms of greater awareness that we have created in the community on the need for people to inform the Ministry and authorities on the incidences of child abuse and neglect.”