PH Advances Children's Rights in Education Amid Pandemic

Ambassador Evan P. Garcia, Philippine Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Geneva, congratulates the Department of Education on the convening of its Second National Summit on the Rights of the Child in Education. (Geneva PM photo)

GENEVA 01 December 2020 — The Philippines convened the Second National Summit on the Rights of the Child in Education via video conference from 23-24 November 2020, pursuing the national pledge to protect and advance the rights of nearly 25 million school-age Filipino children even amid the pandemic.

Education Secretary Leonor M. Briones re-affirmed the commitment of the education sector to being learner-centered and child-focused and stressed the importance of child rights education. "Rights-based education encourages children to take action in and promote and uphold child and human rights for the benefit of fellow learners, families, schools and local communities," Secretary Briones emphasized.

Meanwhile, Ambassador Evan P. Garcia, Philippine Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva, cited the Philippines' active engagement with the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC), specifically on the submission of its national report on the implementation of the CRC in 2019 and the upcoming dialogue with the Committee in 2021. The Ambassador also mentioned Philippines’ consistent advocacies in the UN Human Rights Council on children's rights such as anti-trafficking in persons, combating violence against women and children, and human rights education and training.

The Second National Summit on the Rights of the Child in Education was convened in observance of the annual national celebration of children's month, by virtue of R.A. 10661 of 1989 and in commemoration of the adoption of the UN CRC adopted on 20 November 2020.  It has gathered over 1,000 public educators and education officials and stakeholders including children.END

Dr. Philip Jaffe, member of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, expresses his confidence that the Philippines would be able to champion and promote best practices that uphold children's rights and their right to education. (Geneva PM photo)

For more information, visit https://www.genevapm.dfa.gov.ph or https://www.facebook.com/PHinGeneva/