Reverend Semisi Turagavou, the President of the Methodist Church in Fiji and Rotuma, has called on parents to take their responsibilities seriously in light of growing concerns about child neglect.
A recent report from the Ministry of Women, Children and Social Protection indicates that 76 percent of children experiencing abuse and neglect in Fiji come from Christian households. The report also highlights that 75 percent of these affected children are iTaukei. Reverend Turagavou expressed that the significant prevalence of these issues among Christian families casts a negative light on the community.
He stated, “We acknowledge that there is a problem, and we will not shy away from it. We take full responsibility because social issues within homes continue to escalate despite numerous awareness campaigns.”
In response to these social challenges impacting families and children, the church is considering scaling back certain programs conducted by church circuits. Reverend Turagavou noted that some church activities consume time that should be devoted to family, which has raised concerns among many church members.
He noted that many members tend to spend too much time on church-related events, which affects family life. “We are trying to strengthen the family unit, which is where we should start. Otherwise, the negative effects will eventually impact the children,” he added.
Reverend Turagavou emphasized that the church will collaborate with the congregation to reinforce family ties, aiming to help address these critical issues.