Negros Occidental, Philippines – Children realizing their basic right to participation, including their right to be heard pushed for the use of creative medium to advance advocacy efforts on child protection.
Child protection concerns on child marriage, teenage pregnancy, cyber safety, and the challenges of the alternative delivery mode of education were among the issues discussed and presented.
Child leaders who were present during the 2-day camp stressed their concerns on preventing child sexual abuse caused by child marriage.
Discussions on Republic Act 7610 and Senate Bill 11313 or the Girls not Brides Bill were among the salient policies that were discussed by BCDCI’s Child Protection Focal Persons during the plenary sessions of the creative advocacy workshop.
Alongside this, small group skill-based workshops were attended by child leaders based on their interests to advance their calls for stronger child protection in their communities, such as: photography, dancing, and songwriting.
“It is our hope, that despite the challenges brought about by the pandemic, we will be able to mobilize children to speak up and advocate for the advancement of their rights,” expressed Hayde Villanueva, SHA Senior Project Officer.
The creative advocacy workshops were conducted in small group sessions in 4 Barangays of Salvador Benedicto following local government guidelines and minimum health protocols, in partnership with the KALAMBUAN Federation, Cluster Level Associations, and the Negrosanon Young Leaders Institute Inc.