Reverend Semisi Turagavou, the President of the Methodist Church in Fiji and Rotuma, is calling on parents to embrace their responsibilities. A report from the Ministry of Women and Social Protection reveals that 76 percent of children who suffer abuse and neglect come from Christian households, with 75 percent of these being from the iTaukei community.
Reverend Turagavou expressed concern about the negative implications of this high percentage of Christian families associated with child neglect. “We acknowledge the problem and will not shy away from it,” he stated. He emphasized that the church accepts its share of responsibility as social issues within families persist, despite ongoing awareness initiatives.
To tackle these challenges, the Methodist Church in Fiji and Rotuma is considering scaling back some church activities. Reverend Turagavou highlighted that certain programs may take away from essential family time, which has raised concerns among church members.
He pointed out that the excessive time spent on church-related activities can detract from family life and stressed the importance of fortifying family relationships to avert adverse effects on children. “We will work with the congregation to reinforce family bonds to help resolve these issues,” he added.