The Government now intends to propose a legislation that would impose a child’s curfew that disallows children from loitering around at certain hours of the night.
This has been highlighted by the Minister for Women, Children and Social Protection, Lynda Tabuya, while speaking to the media.
Tabuya said that this new law aims to strictly limit the number of children that are seen at night, loitering without any proper reasons at all.
She said criminal charges will be laid on parents or guardians, if they are not monitoring the movements of their children.
“Police will charge parents and guardians with negligence if they are not mindful of their children’s whereabouts during the curfew hours. This is being done to curb child exploitation, child trafficking or where children are being sold for sex work.”
“By imposing this curfew, the Ministry intends to make parents more responsible by keeping their children at home. It is no longer the work of the police to look after the children,” Tabuya said.
The Ministry has indicated that children that are travelling beyond curfew hours with their parents or guardians, they would need to show proof.
Tabuya said these measures are intended to protect the child.
She said the proposed legislation is not of the two legislations that the Ministry of Women and Children intends to bring to Parliament in March.
