Save the Children Fiji has introduced its new parenting manual on positive methods of child discipline, titled "Positive Discipline: What it is and how to do it".

The author Dr. Joan Durrant describes it an "approach to parenting that teaches children and guides their behavior, while respecting their rights to a healthy development, protection from violence and participation in their learning"

The manual aims at protecting the rights of children by raising public awareness, getting wide coverage in many communities across Fiji and complementing Save the Children Fiji's work.

Save the Children Fiji's Programs Manager Lynette Petueli stated that a lot of work has been done at community level through the "mobile play group projects" as well as the interaction with partners and institutions on child protection and children's human rights.

The mobile play group project was established in 2002 and reaches across 17 communities in Suva and Labasa. Through the continuous interaction between Save the Children Fiji  and the various communities, different levels of change that took place have been assessed. As a result the parenting manual can be contextualised to exactly fit the needs of parents in Fiji.

According to Lynette Petueli, "For most communities the value of early childhood education is already there but it is just a matter of having a facility and resources to be able to establish their own early childhood or playgroup centers so that people are aware of the importance of early childhood education to give children a good head start in life."

As a part of the awareness programme, the manual will support parents in their in their daily lives and their learning experience, encouraging people to learn from mistakes in the past.

To receive a copy of the report please contact Save the Children Fiji. To see the story in the Fiji Time please see here: