Reverend Semisi Turagavou, the President of the Methodist Church in Fiji and Rotuma, is calling on parents to take charge of their responsibilities.
Concerns over child neglect are prevalent, with a report from the Ministry of Women and Social Protection revealing that 76 percent of children who face abuse and neglect come from Christian families, and 75 percent of these are iTaukei.
Reverend Turagavou expressed that this significant representation of Christian households is detrimental to the community’s image.
“We acknowledge the problem and will not shy away from it,” he stated. “We take full responsibility as social issues within homes persist despite numerous awareness campaigns.”
In response to these challenges, the Methodist Church in Fiji and Rotuma is considering scaling back certain church programs.
Reverend Turagavou pointed out that some programs take away valuable family time, which has raised concerns among members of the congregation.
He highlighted that excessive involvement in church activities can negatively affect family dynamics, stressing the importance of strengthening family units to better protect children.
“We will work with the congregation to reinforce family bonds to help resolve these issues,” he affirmed.