The Philippines now provides special protection for children affected or displaced by armed conflict.
This came after opposition Sen. Risa Hontiveros learned that President Duterte has signed Republic Act No. 11188, also known as “The Special Protection of Children in Situations of Armed Conflict Act.’’
The law provides protection to children in situations of armed conflict from all forms of abuse, violence, neglect, cruelty, discrimination, and other conditions prejudicial to their development.
Hontiveros, who was the primary sponsor and author of the law in the 24-member Senate, said the law makes the country more compliant with international obligations for the increased safety and well-being of children, declaring them as “special zones of peace.”
“Children are one of the most vulnerable groups in places of conflict. Prolonged conflicts put their chances for education at risk. Many of them are also displaced and separated from their relatives and loved ones. Worse, they lose their families and suffer from serious human rights abuses,” she said.
“With this law, we hope the government will be able to protect our children from the brutality of armed conflicts and help them live peaceful, productive lives,” she added.
Hontiveros explained that the law ensures that children under 18-years-old are not recruited, re-recruited, used, or arrested by armed groups.
She said that under the law, the rights of children are preserved and protected, regardless of gender and ethnicity.
Hontiveros said the law mandates that health and nutrition, psychosocial services, education, livelihood for families, and other basic and legal services be accessible to the children and their guardians.
This would reinforce the responsibility of the government to address root causes of armed conflicts, she explained.
“Our children are our greatest responsibilities. We must allow them to enjoy their childhood. We must at all cost guard them from the horrors of armed conflict and restore hope to those who have suffered so much at a young age,” she added. (Mario B. Casayuran)
