Fiji has been receiving between 1,800 and 8,200 reports of suspected online child abuse in recent years through the US National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children, which alerts law enforcement based on material flagged by American service providers.
This has been highlighted by Minister for Policing Ioane Naivalurua who says this is unacceptable.
While delivering his ministerial statement in Parliament, Naivalurua says the National Task Force has identified a number of laws as part of legal reform programme, including Online Safety Act 2018, the Telecommunication Act 2008 and the Cybercrime Act 2021.
He says the government remains fully committed to ensuring that laws keep pace with the realities of the digital age and respond holistically to threats such as those threatening our children.
Naivalurua has also given the assurance that comprehensive nationwide consultation will be undertaken as part of the law review process.
He also says that under the recently approved National Privacy and Personal Data Protection Policy, children's data are special categories of data that require heightened safeguards and this cements their commitment to protect children's data when they are being collected.
He says a working group within the Task Force is focusing on survivor support, empowerment, society and culture ensures that survivors, especially children, receive the care, protection and support they need.
The Minister says this group also examines the societal and cultural factors that contribute to exploitation, helping in addressing the problem at its root.
Naivalurua says the 1548 helpline is active and Fiji is strengthening online safety through nationwide training and awareness programs, including Swipe Safe for Year 9 students, Girls in ICT, Telecentres, Train the Trainer and the Online Safety Championship initiative to build digital literacy, cyber hygiene and youth leadership in safe online behaviour.
He has also highlighted that the Fiji Police Force has also established a dedicated Online Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse Unit to strengthen, investigate and enforce efforts.
The Minister adds that we must all contribute to building a child-safe environment, including in cyberspace and is calling on all stakeholders to do their part in this national effort.
Opposition MP Jone Usamate has commended the work of the task force on their efforts, however, he has highlighted that people may use pornography for relaxation but the impact, including normalization of abuse and sexual exploitation can be very traumatic.
He says we can do a lot to try to prevent people from having access to this but if the desire is still there, then that is a much deeper problem that he believes the task force on its own cannot address.
Usamate has also highlighted that this behaviour has real consequences on families, relationships and gender-based violence, and it creates both economic and mental health burdens.
He stresses that Fiji is not fully recognising how serious and widespread mental health issues linked to this problem really are.
Usamate is also urging strong, well executed action on upcoming online safety legislation and programmes, and adds that MPs must support the task force’s work as it moves from planning to concrete structures.
He further says execution is critical, and once the plans and programs are in place, they must deliver real results rather than empty talk.
He adds that the Opposition fully supports this endeavour.
While calling the issue of pornography an ulcer, Usamate says we must get rid of it for the sake of our children in the future.
Rashika
Stay tuned for the latest news on our radio stations
