Members of the public can now take their issues up with the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence regarding their relatives who have been ill‑treated overseas by their biological or adopted parents.
Chairman of the Committee, Government MP Netani Rika says sometimes families who migrate overseas ill‑treat their children, neglect or have an abduction case and children do not get justice when this happens.
Rika says that some cases have been reported already and they will now conduct consultations from the 1st of next month in the Northern and Western division to look for more hidden cases.
Rika says the convention only covers children from 0 to 18 years as they are the primary concern.
He stresses that anyone who is above 18 and wants justice will unfortunately not be heard.
These matters come under the Convention on Jurisdiction, Applicable Law, Recognition, Enforcement and Co-operation in Respect of Parental Responsibility and Measures for the Protection of children, which Fiji is in the process of ratifying.
Rika adds that once all consultations are done, they will present their report in parliament in their next sitting.
