Bets urged: Make child protection in conflict areas a priority

CHILD right advocates urged candidates in the May 2016 elections to make the protection of children in conflict areas a priority, particularly the recruitment of children in armed conflicts.

The Philippine Legislators’ Committee on Population and Development made the appeal a week after the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law was declared “dead” in the House of Representatives.

In a forum in Quezon City, PLCPD executive director Romeo Dongeto said the issue of child rights and the protection of children should be made an important electoral concern.

“To all candidates, especially those running for legislative or executive positions, let us protect the children, especially those in conflict areas. There are laws but there are gaps in the laws, let us prioritize these,” Dongeto said on Wednesday.

The PLCPD made the call after Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. said there is no more chance of the draft BBL being passed under the Aquino administration.

Ifugao Rep. Teddy Baguilat Jr., PLCPD vice chairperson, expressed fears that with the death of the draft BBL, there might be renewed conflict and radicalism in Mindanao.

He pointed out that the failure to pass the law might be used by some radicals as propaganda to recruit more people, especially children, into extremist groups such as the Islamic State.

“There is a fear of radicalization among Muslims. The ISIS recruits so fast, targeting the youth through social media. They might use the BBL issue as propaganda in their recruitment. This is why the peace process should continue,” Baguilat stressed.

The ISIS is allegedly actively recruiting in Central Mindanao through its videos posted on social media, but this has been denied by the military which said the ISIS has no presence yet in the Philippines.

The PLCPD pointed out that children are most vulnerable in situations of armed conflict, as they are displaced or worse, recruited as combatants, spies or informants, human shields or runners of armed groups or the military.

The organization cited data from the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef), which stated that 30,000 to 50,000 children are displaced by armed conflict yearly.

The Unicef said there are 54 children in the Philippines recruited or used by armed groups as of 2012.

Dongeto pointed out that the versions of the draft BBL included provisions for the protection of children in armed conflict and mechanism to address violations committed against children.

There are existing national laws on the protection of children such as the Anti Child Abuse Law, the Anti Trafficking Act and the Anti War Crimes Act.

“There is a need to bring the policy to the regional level, or in the case of the Bangsamoro, the autonomous region level. There might be national laws that run contrary to their laws, so in the case of protecting children, it’s important that this is stressed in the draft law,” said Baguilat. AC