Children, youth bring issues to BARMM leaders

COTABATO CITY - Children and youth groups from various parts of Bangsamoro region have filled the festive and colorful convention center in Cotabato City as the region celebrates 30th World Children’s day.

With their witty and dramatic stage performances, issues that haunts children and youth were raised. Most of these are recurring cycle of violence that hindered the development of the children.

The continuing conflict has brought them in the quagmire of poverty and lack of access to education, health and other services.

The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) said Bangsamoro children are among the poorest in the country and are left behind under all indicators of development.

At 63.1 percent, Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) has the highest poverty rate, twice as high as the national average at 31.4 percent, which means 1.6 million out of 2.5 million children in BARMM are living below the poverty line.

Other indicators show that an estimated 260,000 children are out of school youth, and only one out of five children enrolled complete elementary education.

Every year, around 400,000 adolescents who could be in school have not made it.

Around 300,000 below five-years old or one of every two children are chronically malnourished and stunted compared to nationwide statistics which is one out of three.

Less than 30 percent of infants are fully vaccinated and 70 percent of the children do not have access to toilets at home and same in school which 30 percent are without.

“Almost 30 years after the Philippines ratified the Convention of the Rights of a Child, far too many children are still left behind particularly in BARMM,” said Karin Hushof, UNICEF Regional Director for East Asia and Pacific.

“It is about reinvigorating the efforts to end disparities and depravations children continue to suffer,” she added.

Today, several youth leaders and participants raised their voices in a parliament in a special session of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA).

In a 6-point Children’s Declaration has expressed their vision and aspirations for a better life under the Bangsamoro regime.

The parliament body has given them the time, listen and called to act on their wishes which was landmarked to the 30th anniversary of the convention of the Rights of the Child, the most widely ratified treaty in the world which the Philippines signed in 1990.

The Children’s declaration appeals to the government for a better education, and end to poverty and hunger, lasting peace, better parenting program, and greater participation of children and youth in finding solutions to issues that affect them.

BARMM Chief Minister Ahod Balawag Ebrahim committed to protect and promote the rights of the children and vowed to address the issues.

In fact he co-authored Bangsamoro Parliament proposed legislation No. 147, together with majority members of the parliament giving full support to the Children’s Declaration including funds funneled form local government units.

Business leaders, religious leaders, diplomatic missions, the media, non-government organizations, civil society organizations and local political leaders made their pledges of support. (Ferdinandh Cabrera)