Promoting Child Rights Protection

The Republic Act 9344 known as the Juvenile Justice Welfare Act of 2006 celebrated 10 years of its existence.  This law recognizes the right of children to assistance, including proper care and nutrition, and special protection from all forms of neglect, abuse, cruelty and exploitation, and other conditions prejudicial to their development.  It further defines a child at risk and a child in conflict with the law. This law also points to the  minimum age of criminal liability: A child fifteen (15) years of age or under at the time of the commission of the offense shall be exempt from criminal liability.

Children are often used in drug trafficking nowadays because of this exemption.  Hence, some call for a lowering of this minimum age so that children committing heinous crimes can be put behind bars.  Child rights advocates insist that in these instances, children are victims too.

The Philippines signed the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Since signing the UN CRC, the government is obliged to recognize the full spectrum of human rights for all children and strengthen efforts in enforcing the rights of children.  Different branches of government call for increasing programs that protect children's rights:

The Department of Interior and Local Government urges barangays to promote children's rights in the search for child-friendly barangays.

The Department of Education (Dep Ed) issued a memorandum on its child protection policy, policy and guidelines on protecting children in school from abuse, violence, exploitation, discrimination, bullying and other forms of abuse.  Dep Ed also strengthens protection for the reintegration of children at risk and children in conflict with the law.

The Department of Justice created a Committee for the Special Protection of Children.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development has rescued over 150 victims of webcam sex tourism and other forms of child abuse.

In the UN CRC, the guiding principles of the Convention include non-discrimination, adherence to the best interests of the child, the right to life, survival and development, and the right to participate.  In our own ways, we can also promote children's rights and help in the reintegration of children at risk and children in conflict with the law.




Questions that need to be answered:

1.  What are the different approaches to reintegrate children at risk and children in conflict with the law?
2.  Suggest ways on how we can keep children our of trouble and out of harm's way.
3.  What enabling environment can allow children to claim their own rights?

Human Trafficking: Modern Day Slavery

Human Trafficking: Modern Day Slavery

Back in highschool, I remember reading the book called the Color Purple.  The novel is about a poor and uneducated 14-year old girl who suffers rape, beatings, maltreatment and all forms of abuse, and endures through all the hardships until she is reunited with family and loved ones at the end of the story.  These stories are based on true events, and sadly these still occur until this day.

What is Human Trafficking?

Human trafficking is modern-day slavery and involves the use of force, fraud, or coercion to obtain some type of labor or commercial sex act.  People on the ground like community organizer Elaine says human trafficking is a lucrative business, and that women and children are made vulnerable by poverty and gender discrimination.  In some areas in Cebu, it has become so bad that it was once considered a cottage industry.  Children are robbed of their youth, and end up as broken, empty shells.  People on the ground report children being pimped by their own parents for sex.  Others collect payment for sexual acts performed in front of a webcam.

"Trafficking in Persons" is legally defined in the Republic Act 9208 (Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003) as:

the recruitment, transportation, transfer or harboring, or receipt of persons with or without the victim’s consent or knowledge, within or across national borders by means of threat or use of force, or other forms of coercion, abduction, fraud, deception, abuse of power or of position, taking advantage of the vulnerability of the person, or, the giving or receiving of payments or benefits to achieve the consent of a person having control over another person for the purpose of exploitation which includes at a minimum, the exploitation or the prostitution of others or other forms of sexual exploitation, forced labor or services, slavery, servitude or the removal or sale of organs.

Hence, the main elements of human trafficking would include movement, means and motivation.

Where is Human Trafficking?

The Global Slavery Index estimates that in 2016 there are 45.8 million people are in some form of modern slavery in 167 countries.

CNN US Trafficking in Persons Report discusses that on the same day that the new President Rodrigo Duterte assumed power, the Philippines moved up to become a Tier 1 nation. During his State of the Nation Address, President Rodrigo Duterte declared war against human trafficking.

According to the Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report

• Tier 1 means that governments fully comply with the Trafficking Victims Protection Act's (TVPA) minimum standards.
• Tier 2 means that governments do not fully comply, but are making significant efforts to bring themselves into compliance.
• Tier 3 means that governments do not fully comply and are not making significant efforts to do so. Myanmar, Sudan and Haiti are currently among the worst offenders for human trafficking.

In Cebu Philippines, the Inter-agency Council against Trafficking (IACAT-7-ACP-VAWC) celebrates World Day against Traffiking in Persons (WDAT) with a multi-sectoral conference at the Mandaue City Sports Complex with all government agencies, non-government organizations and even private sectors involved in efforts towards stopping human trafficking.

The Share A Child Movement Inc works at the level of the barangay, organizing community-based child protection networks and youth advocate groups to report, refer and monitor cases of child abuse in the barangay.  We also conduct information-education campaigns to increase awareness on the rights of the child and the laws protecting children and women.

Other organizations focus on the transportation and tourism sectors, empowering the service providers to detect suspicious movements and report potential cases of human trafficking.  Other organizations specialize in protection of victims and prosecution of perpetuators.

As we celebrate the Philippines' upgrading to TIP Tier 1 especially on World Day against Trafficking in Persons, we continue our efforts to stop all forms of human trafficking in our society, to protect our children and strengthen our families.

The Role of Social Media in Child Participation Rights

THE ROLE OF SOCIAL MEDIA IN CHILD PARTICIPATION RIGHTS

November has been declared as National Children's Month!  The Passage of Repulic Act No. 10661, a consolidation of House Bill 1641 and Senate Bill 332, declared November of every year as National Children's Month.  It was approved by President Benigno S. Aquino III on May 29, 2015.

1. The rights.  

In 1989, governments worldwide adopted the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, also known as the CRC or UNCRC.  This convention has changed the way children are treated - as human beings with a distinct set of rights.  UNICEF has published a child-friendly summary of these rights.  Article 12 reads that "Every child has the right to have a say in all matters affecting them, and to have their views taken seriously". 

In Cebu, The Share A Child Movement Inc has worked with child rights advocates on room-to-room campaigns in schools to spread awareness on the right of the child.  There are many other child-centered NGOs in the Philippines, advocating not only for child rights protection but also for child involvement in governance.

2. The real situation.  

There are a lot of stories from news articles that abound regarding violations of the inherent rights of the child. There are reports about children videotaped performing indecent acts. Some articles discuss facts on human trafficking in the Philippines.  There have been success stories about Cebu bar owners convicted for qualified trafficking of minors for sex. However, sexual abuse has moved to a different environment, as sex offenders are now online engaged in webcam sex tourism.  Sweetie, is a 10-year old virtual Filipina girl who posed on video chatrooms to entrap pedophiles and sex predators across the globe. This kind of crime "requires a new way of policing". 

Child trafficking is real in the Philippines. Many crimes go unreported because victims lack information on human trafficking, crimes are concealed by victims and violators, or families of victims accept the situation as normal.

3.  Prevention is key.  

The Church also participates in National Children's Month.  This year’s National Children’s Month focuses on child participation rights, with the theme “Bata, Kasali ka, Ikaw ay Mahalaga!" (Child, you are included, you are precious!) It aims to highlight the right of the children to express their views, to be heard, and to actively participate in matters that affect them.

4.  How do children actively participate in matters that affect them?

The major events and activities for National Children's Month Celebration include zumbata, discussion on violence against children, story books for children and talent showcase of children.

For the government, the theme for this year is “Komunidad at Pamahalaan Magkaisa, ang-aabuso sa Bata, Wakasan Na!” (Community and Government unite to end child abuse!) which highlights protection from all forms of violence, abuse, neglect, exploitation and discrimination and to encourage stakeholders to promote as well as advocate protection of children at the family, schools, community, institution, organization and other settings.

Share you own ideas on how to promote children's rights and prevent child abuse. 


In what ways can children be involved in decision-making on matters that affect them?
What challenges that hinder children from claiming their rights?
What is the role of social media in promoting child participation rights?