to be presented at the National Parliament in the May sitting.
In Brief:
(A) NEC ENDORSEMENT OF THE PNG NATIONAL LUKAUTIM PIKININI BILL 2015
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| (L-R) Department's Secretary, Anna Solomon, Honorable Minister Delilah Gore, MP & Chritsiane Kenia, a Senior Inclusive Research Officer of Red Cross Inclusive Education Resource Center during the press conference announcement of the NEC endorsement of Lukautim Pikinini Act Bill 2015 |
On Friday 17th of May 2015, Hon. Delilah Gore, the Minister for Religion Youth & Community Development formally announced through a press conference that the Lulautim Pikinini Bill 2015 & National Policy on Disability will be given proper acknowledgement through the national parliament.
The Minister further added that on the 7th of May 2015, NEC in its
Decision No. 99/015 endorsed the Proposal Lukautim Pikinini Bill 2015 to be
presented in Parliament in the May Parliament session.
The main focus of the Bill include;
1.It to ensure that our children are protected and have access to their rights. It emphasizes parental responsibility and duty to maintain a child.
2. All children have the right to be protected from all forms of abuse, neglect and maltreatment.
3. All children have the right to equal opportunity and access to education.
4. In actions and decisions made under the Act concerning a particular child the best interest of a child must be the paramount consideration.
5. Where any conflict arises between the interest of the child and another person, the interest of the child is paramount.
6. The preferred environment for the care and upbringing of a child is his own family and the responsibility for the care and protection of children rests primarily with their parents.
7. In deciding what action is necessary to protect a child from harm, the cause to be followed must be
1.It to ensure that our children are protected and have access to their rights. It emphasizes parental responsibility and duty to maintain a child.
2. All children have the right to be protected from all forms of abuse, neglect and maltreatment.
3. All children have the right to equal opportunity and access to education.
4. In actions and decisions made under the Act concerning a particular child the best interest of a child must be the paramount consideration.
5. Where any conflict arises between the interest of the child and another person, the interest of the child is paramount.
6. The preferred environment for the care and upbringing of a child is his own family and the responsibility for the care and protection of children rests primarily with their parents.
7. In deciding what action is necessary to protect a child from harm, the cause to be followed must be
the least intrusive
intervention in the life of a child and his or her family that is consistent
with the paramount concern to protect the child from harm.
8. Interventions should be aimed at remedying the harmful situation and providing a plan to return the child to his or her family, unless to do so is contrary to the child’s best interest.
9. If a child is temporary or permanently deprived of his family environment, or cannot be allowed to remain in that environment in his or her own best interest, the child is entitled to special protection and assistance from the Office for Child and Family Services.
10. Where it is necessary to remove a child in need of protection from his family, alternative care for the child within his/ her own family or community of child’s name, identity, language, cultural and religious ties, should, as far as possible, be preserved; and
11. If a child is placed in the care of the Office for Child and Family Service or other appointed out of home care organizations, the child is entitled to maintain close relationships with people significant to the child, including parents, siblings, extended family, peers, family friends and community, unless it is contrary to his best interest.
12. Whenever a child is able to form his/her own views on a matter concerning their welfare, he or she must be given an opportunity to express those views freely and those view are to be given due weight in accordance with the development capacity of the child.
13. The same NEC Decision No 99/2015 also directed the Department of Community Development to develop a National Lukautim Pikinini Policy.
14. NEC understands the lack of capacity in the current Lukautim Pikini Office also directed in the same NEC Decision No 99/2015 for Department of Community Development and the Department of Personnel Management to facilitate the establishment of Office of Child and Family Services to be able to implement the Lukautim Pikinini Act.
At this junction, the Minister thanked UNICF PNG for their great support to the Government of PNG in finalizing the proposed Bill. She also wished to thank the Inter Agency Committee especially CLRC for the collaborative effort towards the proposed Bill.
Finally, I thank and congratulate my Department Secretary, her management and staff for facilitating the formulation and finalization of the proposed Bill. I look forward to tabling this Bill in Parliament to protect our children, who are our future generation and leaders of this country.
8. Interventions should be aimed at remedying the harmful situation and providing a plan to return the child to his or her family, unless to do so is contrary to the child’s best interest.
9. If a child is temporary or permanently deprived of his family environment, or cannot be allowed to remain in that environment in his or her own best interest, the child is entitled to special protection and assistance from the Office for Child and Family Services.
10. Where it is necessary to remove a child in need of protection from his family, alternative care for the child within his/ her own family or community of child’s name, identity, language, cultural and religious ties, should, as far as possible, be preserved; and
11. If a child is placed in the care of the Office for Child and Family Service or other appointed out of home care organizations, the child is entitled to maintain close relationships with people significant to the child, including parents, siblings, extended family, peers, family friends and community, unless it is contrary to his best interest.
12. Whenever a child is able to form his/her own views on a matter concerning their welfare, he or she must be given an opportunity to express those views freely and those view are to be given due weight in accordance with the development capacity of the child.
13. The same NEC Decision No 99/2015 also directed the Department of Community Development to develop a National Lukautim Pikinini Policy.
14. NEC understands the lack of capacity in the current Lukautim Pikini Office also directed in the same NEC Decision No 99/2015 for Department of Community Development and the Department of Personnel Management to facilitate the establishment of Office of Child and Family Services to be able to implement the Lukautim Pikinini Act.
At this junction, the Minister thanked UNICF PNG for their great support to the Government of PNG in finalizing the proposed Bill. She also wished to thank the Inter Agency Committee especially CLRC for the collaborative effort towards the proposed Bill.
Finally, I thank and congratulate my Department Secretary, her management and staff for facilitating the formulation and finalization of the proposed Bill. I look forward to tabling this Bill in Parliament to protect our children, who are our future generation and leaders of this country.
