SUVA, Feb. 7 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) will work with relevant authorities in Fiji to create awareness on cyber bullying.
UNICEF Pacific Representative Sheldon Yett said Thursday that while they do not have exact numbers in Fiji, they are still aware that cyber bullying is an issue faced by young people in the island nation.
Yett said UNICEF will work with Fijian stakeholders, specifically with communities, from this year to make young people aware of this threat and how best it can be dealt with.
"Parents need to take a role but so do teachers, so do other community leaders, so do peers. Kids need to also look after the kids. The internet is a fantastic tool for learning, for participation, for making sure that children's voices can be heard. For ensuring the right of participation is there for children. But we also need to make sure that there are safe guards in place and we ensure that nothing is violated."
Yett says kindness both online and offline is a responsibility that begins with each individual.
Online Safety Commissioner Anne Dunn Baleilevuka said earlier that out of about 90 Fijians who committed suicide in 2017, several people thought it was the better option due to something they had seen or read about themselves on social media.
Fiji's Online Safety Commission is working towards building relationship with key organizations in a bid to prevent suicides in Fiji.
Baleilevuka noted the sensitivities surrounding suicide cases and the impact of social media in suicide related behavior.
She said in the same year, seven cases of cyber bullying were reported to the Fiji Women's Crisis Center.
