Child Protection

Address Child Protection

Director for Child and Family Services, Simon Yanis said the office is responsible for coordinating national efforts in addressing and protecting the rights of the children at the national level.

Prostitution and child labour is illegal under the Lukautim Pikinnini Act.

17 and on the run

He has been on the run for months now, after being falsely accused of stealing from his employer.

He was a carrier for a local businesswoman named *Mary. He’d carry her second-hand clothes bales daily, to and from her place to the market. Second-hand clothing is a popular and demanding market in the country, and makes good money.

Larry’s engagement wasn’t long before one of the bales went missing. Blaming Larry, Mary had him arrested, charged and thrown in jail.

Child protection is your business

Acting executive director for the National Office of Child and Family Services, Simon Yanis, says PNG has a mammoth task in changing the mindset of people in respect to children’s issues.

Yanis was speaking recently at the first-ever integrated child protection training conducted in Bialla, West New Britain Province, through the Public-Private and Donor Partnership between Hargy Oil Palm Limited and the National Office for Child and Family Services.

38 child protection officers graduate

The 38 protection officers graduated with certificates following the recent one week training based on the policy and how it should be implemented.

The National Child Protection Policy 2017-2027 specifically aims to see child protection system coordination and leadership at all levels of government is improved.

The protection officers that graduated came from the National Capital District, Central Province and Motu Koita.

Laws amended to help protect children

The Marriage Act will give a clear definition of customary and non-customary marriage and the Matrimonial Causes Act will deal with settling marriage disputes between husband and wife.

Secretary for the Department of Community Development, Youth and Religion Anna Solomon said that the two proposed amendment Acts will also protect children.

Solomon explained that in the marriage act, married couples will have to comply through civil registration office, having only one registered customary marriage but recognition of all the children.

Child protection officers need upskilling and protection

CPO in Bougainville, Desmond Ponpon, applauded welfare offers and CPOs during the launch of the report on child protection systems in PNG, who have laboured tirelessly in trying to assist children and families.

Ponpon said they’ve faced many challenges while doing their job.

He said they’ve been threatened, intimidated and harassed simply because they have spoken up against abuses inflicted upon defenseless, innocent children and women.

Save the Children launches report of child protection systems

The report titled ‘The Child Protection Systems in PNG’, is an assessment of prevention and response services for children and families.

A child protection systems mapping was carried out by Child Frontiers for a period of three months in NCD, Bougainville, Lae, Goroka and East Sepik.

Researchers spoke to child protection officers, the children, parents and community leaders to collect a wide range of data.

The research found that children are experiencing high rates of violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation.

Child protection services lacking in rural communities

This was revealed by Save the Children PNG (SCiPNG) following a recent research carried out throughout the country.

The team went out to different areas of NCD, Bougainville, Lae, Goroka and East Sepik and spoke to child protection officers, the children, parents and community leaders to collect a wide range of data.

The data collected will be presented in a report which will be launched next month in Port Moresby.

Physical and sexual abuse common issue among children

Non-government organisation (NGO) Save the Children in Papua New Guinea (SCiPNG) has done a report on child abuse, highlighting the different child protection systems in PNG.

The report has reviewed all of the research that has been done on the different forms of child abuse.

Country Director for SCiPNG, Jennifer El-sibai, said there is a need for child protection services to be accessible to children in the rural areas, in order to address the issue.