The National Office for Child and Family Services (NOCFS) is working with police to ensure those responsible for the abuse of a young girl in Porgera, Enga Province, are arrested and prosecuted.
The action follows the circulation of a viral social media video showing a four-year-old girl being threatened and forced by an unidentified man to pack her belongings and leave the home where she was living.
NOCFS Chief Executive Officer Jerry Wap said the office had immediately engaged police and lodged a formal complaint, while child protection officers in Porgera are assisting authorities to ensure the child’s safety and welfare.
He described the incident as a serious violation of child protection laws and condemned the abuse in the strongest terms.
In a statement Mr. Wap said when he was notified of the video over the weekend, he immediately wrote to the Police Commissioner, the Enga Provincial Police Commander and the Porgera Police Station Commander expressing concern over the incident and calling for the immediate arrest of the offenders.
“As the office that is mandated to protect the rights and interests of PNG children, we have also laid a formal complaint with the Waigani Police regarding the incident,” Mr. Wap said.
“Our Child Protection Officer in Porgera is also working with police to ensure the child is assessed and protected from further abuse and harm.”
Mr. Wap explained that the actions shown in the video were unlawful and contradicted the Lukautim Pikinini Act 2015, the country’s primary legislation protecting children and administered by NOCFS.
He said the child had been subjected to verbal, emotional and psychological abuse.
“No child in the country should endure this kind of treatment because it is not only against the law, but it will also affect their immediate and long-term health and physical, emotional and psychological development,” Mr. Wap said.
“As the office in charge of the welfare and well-being of PNG children, we will not sitidly and allow this kind of abuse to take place in our homes, communities and society.”
Mr. Wap said despite NOCFS’s limited resources and manpower, reports of child abuse received by the office or identified through social media would be investigated promptly in collaboration with partner agencies, and those responsible would be dealt with according to the law.
He reiterated NOCFS’s commitment to protecting children across Papua New Guinea and ensuring offenders are held accountable for acts that endanger the safety and wellbeing of children.