Child Welfare Officers, accompanied by Labour Officers and Police Officers, are conducting street sweeps to identify children selling goods on the streets unsupervised, particularly during the night.
As Fiji marks International Day Against Child Labour today, Minister for Women, Children and Social Protection, Sashi Kiran says the joint initiative with the Ministry of Employment, Productivity and Workplace Relations and the Fiji Police Force is part of ongoing efforts by the Ministry to safeguard children and protect them from exploitation.
Kiran says when children are found in such situations, officers engage directly with them and ensure they are safely returned to their families.
She says Child Welfare Officers then conduct family assessments to better understand the circumstances that may have contributed to the child's involvement in street vending or other forms of labour.
The Minister says where families are experiencing financial hardship or other vulnerabilities, support is provided through appropriate social welfare assistance and referrals to relevant services.
She says these interventions are aimed not only at removing children from potentially harmful situations but also at addressing the root causes that place children at risk.
This year's theme is "Red Card to Child Labour: Fair Play for Children, Decent Work for Adults."
Kiran says every child deserves the opportunity to learn, play and grow in a safe environment free from exploitation.
She says while Fiji has made progress in strengthening child protection systems, child labour remains a concern that requires continued vigilance and partnership.
Kiran says children belong in schools and within nurturing families and communities, not in situations that place their health, safety and future at risk.
She says children can become vulnerable to exploitative labour due to poverty, family breakdown, neglect, lack of supervision and other challenging social circumstances, and addressing these underlying causes requires a whole-of-society approach.
The Minister says protecting children requires more than enforcement.
Kiran says it means working with families, understanding their challenges and connecting them with the support they need so that children can remain safe, cared for and focused on their education and development.
The Ministry is calling on families, employers, communities, workers' organisations, civil society groups and government agencies to work together to identify and report cases of child exploitation and support efforts that keep children safe, in school and thriving.
