FIJI has launched a new toll-free helpline—1548—and the Miss Fiji Pageant Online Safety Song, as part of a nationwide movement to combat cyberbullying, online scams, and digital abuse.
Speaking at the launch, Minister for Policing and Communications Ioane Naivalurua said the initiative marks “a nation standing together to make our digital spaces safer, smarter and stronger.”
He emphasised that the online world is “not an option, it is essential,” adding that “the same phone that connects us to opportunity can destroy it in seconds.”
Naivalurua described the helpline as “a digital lifeline, more than a number, it is a national commitment that connects every region to help, to counselling, to justice, instantly, freely and confidentially.”
The Online Safety Commissioner, Filipe Batiwale, said the campaign represents a new front in the fight against online harm. “We campaign because our awareness is our first line of defence,” he said.
“The reports that cross my desk are not just statistics; they are stories of real pain happening in our communities.” Batiwale said the partnership with the Miss Fiji Pageant “strategically places the message of online safety on a national platform of empowerment,” adding that “our ambassadors and champions are not just title holders, they are messengers who carry loving hands into communities we cannot always reach.”
Ana Tuiketei, Miss Pacific Islands Pageant Board Director, said the theme of this year’s Miss Fiji Pageant reflects “a call to action in the digital world that has become inseparable from our daily lives.”
She highlighted the impact of online harm, noting that “one in three teenagers have shared explicit photos and over 60 percent of female victims feel powerless because of online abuse.”
“Safety online is as important as safety in the home, in schools and at work,” urging young people to “pause before posting, think before reacting, and use our platforms to build, not break.” Tuiketei said.
The collaboration between the Online Safety Commission and the Miss Fiji Pageant seeks to inspire responsible online behaviour through music and advocacy.
“This theme is not born out of fear, it is born out of hope that together we can create a kinder, safer, and more respectful online community for everyone,” Tuiketei said.
With the new toll-free line 1548 now active, the government hopes that more Fijians will report digital abuse and seek help.
“This is what action looks like. This is what leadership sounds like,” Naivalurua said.