Debate over parents right to discipline children

The role of parents in disciplining children has emerged as a key issue in Fiji’s proposed constitutional amendments, with concerns that stronger protection of individual rights could affect parental authority.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Sakiasi Ditoka raised this concern during the consultation on the Constitution Amendment Bill in Korovou.

Ditoka says that efforts to modernise the law must not weaken parents responsibility to teach their children right from wrong.

“I believe that in our efforts to modernize our laws and strengthen the protection of individual rights, we must be careful not to diminish the authority of the family or to undermine the responsibility of the family.”

He says raising children requires more than love and care, stressing that discipline, correction and an understanding of the consequences of one’s actions are also important.

The proposed constitutional recognition of moderate chastisement remains a point of disagreement, as the country considers how traditional values and individual rights should be reflected in the Constitution.

Ditoka says parents have a fundamental responsibility to guide their children and should not have their role undermined by changes intended to strengthen individual rights.

Ditoka maintains that protecting individual rights should not mean taking away parents’ authority to raise their children.