Fiji

Fiji Times

Summit focuses on child rights (Friday, September 02, 2005)

A RESEARCH has shown that children who are malnourished in the first three years of their life, are disadvantaged intellectually.

The study says such children try to make up for the shortcomings later in life but with limited impact, said Adi Davila Toganivalu.

Adi Davila was speaking on the topic: Early Childhood Education — The Way Forward For Fiji, at an education summit at the Raffles Tradewinds convention centre in Lami on Wednesday.
She said the child who attended a play centre and went to pre-school had a better chance of succeeding in school and later in life.

These children grow up to be responsible adults who were better participating citizens of the country.

"Children's rights start at birth," said Adi Davila.

"They have a right to survival, development, protection and participation.

"Without the rights, a child's later inclusion into society will be severely hampered.

"In many cases, the child or adult becomes a nuisance to society," she said.

Adi Davila said more effort was needed in the sectors of health, nutrition, safe environment and the psychosocial development of the child.

She said comprehensive development frameworks were needed to integrate the vision of policy makers and co-ordinate them into action.

One of the reasons we should invest in early childhood development is that healthy, well-nourished and stimulated children learn better and grow into productive citizens, she said.
"All children of Fiji should be healthy, well cared for and protected.

"They should be nurtured and developed to their full potential.

"That way, they can be successful in their education and employment later on in their adult life," Adi Davila said.