Call for parents to protect children

By ERIC PIET
AT a time when children are showing their great potential and ready to grab opportunities, they are also quite vulnerable, says acting chief executive officer of the Office of Child and Family Welfare Services.
Simon Yanis said it was time to provide them greater protection.
He said those from birth to 18-years-old needed protection the most, hence the creation of the office of the Child and Family Welfare Services under the Lukautim Pikinini Act 2015.
Yanis noted a reduction in the number of abused children reported in Port Moresby this year — 30-40 per week compared with 60-70 cases in the previous years.
“This reduction is due to the work we are doing in protecting their rights, despite the positive outcome, we still have more to do,” he said.
“The creation of the Act 2015, and the establishment of a separate office in which the act would be implemented from was a step taken in the right direction by the Government.”
Yanis said the realisation of PNG’s Vision 2050 had its beginnings there.
“The Lukautim Pikinini Act is a vehicle that is driving change for children. It was devised to culture and groom them from all forms of violence,” Yanis said.
“LPA is the law that deals with the root causes of youth problems, law enforcement agencies are only there to manage the act.”
Yani’s has made positive strides with his team with K2 million government funding in 2017.
He firstly established an office (Office of Child and Family Welfare Services) and then a council or board to manage the office and its functions.