Issue
More children in the Philippines are becoming victims of abuse, violence and exploitation. Nearly 1.7 million children do not have birth documents. Having no birth documents deprives children of basic health, educational and protection services, therefore making them increasingly vulnerable to different forms of abuse and exploitation. The country lacks a national child protection monitoring and reporting system to determine the exact number of children in need of special protection, such as victims of abuse, violence and exploitation. Despite recent economic gains, 36.8 per cent of the population still live below the national poverty line, with 47.5 per cent of the population living on less than US$ 2 per day. Poverty has pushed many children to work to fend for their families, which usually places them in situations of abuse and exploitation. Children affected by armed conflict remains a concern. From 2001-2005, records show a total of 1,025,426 internally displaced persons nationwide. In the past four years, 30,000-50,000 of children are displaced every year as a result of armed conflict. Basic services in most conflict-affected communities are often either absent or severely deficient. The lack of basic services and opportunities in these communities has driven children to become involved with armed groups. The lack of access to education and other basic services has been associated with increased participation of children in armed groups. Nevertheless, significant breakthroughs have been made for the protection of children in the Philippines. For example, the historic passage of the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act raised the age of criminal liability from 9 to 15 years old and ensures children are not placed in adult jails. More networks and alliances for child protection are continuously being established, ensuring a more protective environment for children in need, even in hard-to-reach areas.
Real lives
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