Tonga Parliamentarians act on child rights issues
Nuku’alofa, Tonga, 27 June 2011 - Tonga parliamentarians are moving to act on alarming challenges in the area of
education and nutrition faced by vulnerable children in Tonga.
About fifteen Members of the Tongan Parliament gathered last week in a one-day advocacy forum organized by the Tongan
Legislative Assembly and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Pacific office held in Nuku’alofa, Tonga. The forum
deliberated on key findings from sentinel surveillance that monitors the social impacts of the Global Economic Crisis
and its child rights implications.
Hon Dr ‘Ana Taufe’ulungaki, Minister for Education, Women’s Affairs and Culture, said that “we need to define ‘child
labor’ and find out the accurate figure of school drop outs in Tonga”.
When asked how Government can respond to the issue of vulnerable children who drop out of school and work to supplement
family income, Taufe’ulungaki said, “We will be reviewing existing education legislation to increase the age limit for
free and compulsory education to cover secondary school children up to 18 years old.” This will effectively enforce the
Royal Command issued by His Majesty the King.
Responding to the various issues raised by sentinel monitoring, Parliamentarians also emphasized the importance of the
role that community plays in finding practical and sustainable solutions.
Hon. Sunia M. Fili, Minister of Finance, said, “We need to focus on community-based solutions. As a way to address the
issue of malnutrition or threat to rising food price increases, for example, we can encourage food trading between fish
and agricultural products among community members.” Taufe’ulungaki further suggested that volunteer schemes by churches
and youth groups to look after children living with disabilities and elderly will give communities a sense of ownership
and responsibility.
Parliamentarians also recognized their role as duty bearers at the top of the ladder of responsibility to ensure any
violation of children’s rights are promptly addressed by relevant authorities, communities and families.
“The Standing Committee for Social Services will scrutinize the progress of child rights implementation that is carried
out by ministries” stated Hon Dr. ‘Ana Taufe’ulungaki, the Chair of the Standing Committee for Social Services within
Tonga’s Legislative Assembly.
Tonga ratified the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) in 1995 and the initial state party report is still
pending submission since 1997. As a first step forward, the Standing Committee for Social Services will endorse Tonga’s
first submission of the Report to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child in Geneva.
For more information, please visit our website www.unicef.org/pacificislands
ENDS