Kota Kinabalu: Every child deserves to grow up in a safe and nurturing environment, said Assistant Women, Health and People's Well-being Minister Datuk Rina Jainal.
Speaking during the Sabah Child Safeguarding Conference 2026 on Saturday, she said protecting children cannot be left to one agency alone but requires the collective commitment of families, schools, communities, government agencies and the private sector, adding that Sabah's 1.06 million children will shape the State's future.
Rina also launched two publications,
Child Safeguarding:
What Every Parent Should Know and
This Is Me.
Every Child Matters, to strengthen awareness of child safeguarding among parents and communities.
Child Safeguarding Initiative (CSI) president Sonia Chin said the conference, themed Building Communities That Protect, was organised to strengthen collaboration and promote a culture where safeguarding becomes everyone's responsibility.
The conference ended with a joint call for stronger preventive measures and cross-sector cooperation to better protect children's rights, safety and well-being across Sabah.
