WILLIAM Cross Primary School head girl Finau Vitukawalu has urged lawmakers to remove a provision allowing “lawful and moderate chastisement” from the proposed Constitution, saying children deserve protection from violence.
Making her submission to the Special Committee on the Constitution (Amendment) Bill in Kinoya, Nasinu, on Thursday, Finau questioned whether the provision would allow adults to justify hitting children in the name of discipline.
“Those are big words for a child in the Constitution but what worries me is will adults be allowed to hit us and say it is for our own good,” she said.
“I want my Constitution to protect me. I don’t want it to give everyone an excuse to hit me.”
Finau reminded the committee that Fiji had ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1993, committing the country to protecting children’s rights.
She referred to Article 28, which requires school discipline to respect a child’s human dignity, and Article 19, which calls for protection from physical and mental violence, abuse and neglect.
“To me, that means even if I do something wrong at school, I must be treated as a person who matters.”
She said children should be protected at home, at school and in their communities, adding that discipline did not have to involve physical punishment.
“As head girl, my job is to set a good example and help other students and encourage them to follow the rules. I try to read with kindness and love.
“If we are taught to solve problems peacefully, adults should show us how.
“We need rules, correction and consequences. But we can learn without being hit.”
