Reverend Semisi Turagavou, the President of the Methodist Church in Fiji and Rotuma, is calling on parents to take responsibility for their roles in their children’s lives. A recent report from the Ministry of Women and Social Protection highlights that 76 percent of children who are abused and neglected come from Christian households, with 75 percent of these children being of iTaukei descent.
Reverend Turagavou emphasized that this statistic reflects poorly on the community and acknowledged the persistent issue of child neglect. He stated, “We acknowledge the problem and will not shy away from it. We take full responsibility as social issues within homes persist despite numerous awareness campaigns.”
In an effort to tackle these challenges, the Methodist Church may consider reducing some of its programs. Reverend Turagavou pointed out that certain church activities have been noted to interfere with family time, a concern that has resonated with many congregation members.
He pointed out that excessive time dedicated to church activities can detract from family interactions and stressed the importance of strengthening family units to mitigate the negative impacts on children. “We will work with the congregation to reinforce family bonds to help resolve these issues,” he asserted.