Lets Talk About It

Empower Pacific Team conducted evening awareness sessions in the Northern Division under the Australian Humanitarian Partnership (AHP) Tropical Cyclone Yasa Activation Program.

Last month we provided an interactive one-and-a-half-hour community awareness session in Naduna Settlement on Child Safeguarding & Protection and Covid-19 information in the province of Macuata.

“Our communities seek to know more about Child Safeguarding and supporting children who suffer from the trauma of abuse during this COVID —19 Pandemic,” said a mother participating in the session who prefers to be anonymous.

The mother of two stressed the need to have more awareness sessions and using opportunities like this to address Child Abuse during this COVID-19 situation. This can also break the taboo of discussing different forms of abuse including sexual abuse. The mother explains that sometimes as parents it is difficult to talk about sexual abuse with their children.

“The sessions conducted by the trained experts tonight have simplified the message for the children present to better understand the message through the use of art and stories.”

15 participants were part of the awareness session comprising of adults, the Elderly, Youths, Children, Women and Girls. Empower Pacific is thankful for its partnership with the Australian Humanitarian Program in Fiji.

Empower Pacific continues to work alongside the Ministry of Health & Medical Services - Fiji, UNICEF and the Department of Social Welfare in addressing child protection and well-being during this COVID-19 pandemic.

FACT FILE:

Through the Australian Humanitarian Partnership (AHP), Empower Pacific is supported by ChildFund Australia (CFA) under the Plan International Australia (PIA) Consortium.