Advance children issues, candidates told
MANILA, Philippines – A group of child rights advocates calls on the presidential and senatorial candidates to include children issues and concerns in their platforms of government.
Children issues and concerns have never been considered as an important national issue, said Hope Tura of Plan International and Child Rights Network (CRN) co-convenor. She further laments the fact that even in debates among presidential candidates, children issues and concerns have never been included.
According to CRN, about 43 percent of the country’s population are children and almost 10 million of them are undernourished. Enrollment statistics reveal that 78 percent of the population of children, aged three to five years old, do not receive early child care and education services. Twenty-six percent of boys and girls, aged six to 11, are neither in elementary school nor are 42 percent of the 12- to 15-year-olds in secondary school. Net enrollment rates are on the decline — the decline is more pronounced for boys than girls.
Tura highlighted during the group’s assessment held over the weekend that the general principles of promoting child welfare include non-discrimination; right to life, survival, and development; and respect for the views of the child.
“The next set of lawmakers and especially the next president of the country must have an eye and a heart for children issues,” Tura stressed.
Among the legislative measures pushed by the group, only the Anti-Child Pornography Bill has been passed at the 14th Congress.
Other priority bills carried by CRN are Anti-Corporal Punishment, Foster Care Act, and Increasing the Age of Statutory Rape.
CRN is an alliance of organizations advocating for the enactment of policies that will protect and fulfill the rights of the Filipino children.
