Reverend Semisi Turagavou, the President of the Methodist Church in Fiji and Rotuma, has called on parents to take accountability as concerns about child neglect grow.
A recent report from the Ministry of Women, Children and Social Protection indicates that 76 percent of children who have been abused or neglected 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 presence of Christian families involved in these issues reflects poorly on the community.
“We recognize there is a problem, and we will not avoid addressing it,” said Reverend Turagavou. “We accept full responsibility, as social issues in homes continue to arise despite various awareness initiatives.”
To tackle these social challenges impacting families and children, the church is considering scaling back certain programs offered by its circuits. Reverend Turagavou noted that some church activities take valuable time away from families, a concern raised by numerous members.
He pointed out that many church members tend to devote excessive time to church-related activities, which affects their family life. “We aim to strengthen the family unit, which is where this effort should begin. If we don’t, the negative consequences will eventually affect the children,” he stated.
“We plan to work with the congregation to reinforce family ties, as this will aid in addressing these issues,” Reverend Turagavou added.