Secretary Locsin Calls for Innovative Child Protection Measures in Dialogue on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child

Participants of the ASEAN Dialogue on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child General Comments gather for the official photo. (DFA Photo by Philip Fernandez)

MANILA 18 December 2019 — Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro L. Locsin, Jr. called on participants at an ASEAN Dialogue held in Manila to find more ways to interpret and implement the provisions of the Convention on the Rights of the Child in the face of new challenges confronting the children of ASEAN.

In a message read by AICHR Representative Ambassador Elizabeth P. Buensuceso, who co-organized on 11-12 December with Child Rights Coalition-Asia the ASEAN Dialogue on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child General Comments, Secretary Locsin enjoined government decision-makers and civil society representatives to give meaning to the Convention’s core objective of promoting and protecting children’s rights and to share best practices that have saved children from abuse and neglect.

The Dialogue shared best practices in addressing challenges by discussing the General Comments as authoritative interpretations of the UN CRC articles and as a means to identify regional and international similarities in advancing the rights of the child. General Comment 12 on the right of the child to be heard and General Comment 14 on the right of the child to have his or her best interests taken as a primary consideration were extensively discussed. The Dialogue came up with recommendations and identified ways to include these as inputs in policy formulation at the national and regional levels.  Special focus was given to children in vulnerable situations, such as children of illegal migrants, child brides, children of sex workers, and those with disabilities. A special session with a child rights advocate, Ericka Quilos, acting as a resource person, was also held during the Dialogue.

The forum was attended by representatives of ASEAN Member States, AICHR, and other ASEAN Sectoral Bodies, government agencies, national legislators, civil society organizations, and other persons working with children.

Department of Social Welfare and Development Undersecretary Florita Villar read the message of Social Welfare and Development Secretary Rolando Joselito Bautista, who challenged the participants to realize efforts in advancing children’s rights, and Norwegian Ambassador to the Philippines Bjørn Staurset Jahnsen emphasized the need to strengthen children’s awareness on human rights. END

Atty. Mikiko Otani (middle) of the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child discusses the UN CRC General Comments (CRC Asia photo)

Norwegian Ambassador to the Philippines Bjørn Jahnsen delivers a message during the Opening Ceremony (CRC Asia photo)