A prominent member of Bougainville civil society in Papua New Guinea has given parents a dressing down for not caring properly for their children.
Helen Hakena. Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Speaking at an International Children's Day event last week, Helen Hakena of the Leitana Women's Development Agency said many parents dumped responsibilities for their children onto others.
Bougainville parents had very large families but don't plan for the associated costs for expenses such as school fees and uniforms, Ms Hakena said.
"It is very important for us to plan for our children... to budget small amounts of money we are getting from the market or from our coconut plantation," she said.
"It's very important for each parent to do up a budget and not to be surprised or caught at the beginning of next year [when they have] to pay school fees. That is what usually happens here."