Children in Various Context of Exploitation and Trafficking: The Asian Church Response The Philippine Experience Children in Various Context of Exploitation and Trafficking: The Asian Church Response The Philippine Experience

Demography Population is estimated at 94 million (2010) 43% are children or approximately 40.4 million 1/3 of the population consider themselves poor.

The Philippine Church Christians estimated at 92% of the total population, the largest of which is the Roman Catholic Church. Evangelicals are estimated at 11,558,344 or 12% of the population. Non-Christians are estimated to be about 8% of the total population.

The Philippine Church Almost all evangelical denominations are growing significantly faster than the national growth rate (1.7 vs. 3.1) and more marked among the indigenous Pentecostal denominations. Church planting rates have slowed since the surge of the 1980s. However, many large and mega-churches have sprung up. The sophistication and diversity of ministry within evangelical churches have been observed.

The Philippine Church There is an increasing understanding of the church’s integral mission, especially among small, independent local churches located in urban and rural poor communities.

The Filipino Children at Risk Working Children - 4 M, about 200,000 in hazardous working conditions Street children – There are about 250,000 street children, between 40 to 50 thousand are highly visible. Victims of Child Abuse – they are those who are abandoned, neglected, sexually abused and exploited, physically abused/maltreated, emotionally abused. Cases of abuse are mostly unreported.

The Filipino Children at Risk Children in conflict with the law - 13, 000 reported cases. 70% of the crimes committed are petty theft, sniffing of glue and vagrancy. Trafficked children - Victims of child trafficking, commercial sexual exploitation including child pornography are rising thousand children are victims (estimate). Children ‘displaced by armed conflict’ during the last past 4 years - about 30,000-50,000 children. They live in Muslim Mindanao and areas where there is the presence of the New Peoples’ Army, the armed wing of the Communist Party. The children are involved in various roles.

The Filipino Children at Risk Children with disabilities or impairment - 191,680 Children of indigenous peoples groups or IPs) - approximately 5.1 million are 18 years old and below. Live in isolated communities, have little or no access to basic services. Children of migrant parents – no statistics available. Thousands of children are growing up without their natural parents. The social costs of the absence of parental guidance, affection and support are yet to be fully analyzed.

The Filipino Children at Risk Increasing risky social and sexual behaviors, such as drinking, smoking, substance abuse, observed in the age group. In the year 2000, there were 2,000,000 internet users to a population of 78,181,000 and a population penetration share of 2.6%. It has gone up to 29,000,000 internet users in 2010 to a population of 94 million with a 29.7% population penetration share. Notably, there is a 1,385% increase in internet usage from the year More than 50% of internet users are minors aged 17 years old and below.

Engagement and Mobilization of the Philippine Church for Children at Risk – PCMN Experience The Philippine Children’s Ministries Network is a network of Christian ministries to ‘car’ established in Vision: Christians working in unity for transformed children and communities

Strategies: Advocacy Capacity building Resource materials development Collaboration - network formation and development

Child Domestic Labor Member-organizations based in Quezon City agreed to address Child Domestic Labor. (2002) Conducted a research study on “Incidence and Conditions of Child Domestic Workers in Quezon City.” Held awareness raising sessions for local churches. (2003)

Child Domestic Labor Several Christian NGOs and churches began to seek ways to help child domestic workers and agreed to form Project Rhoda. Activities: raising awareness, provision of school support, spiritual nurture. (2004 –up to the present) In a partnership with the Visayan Forum Foundation, receiving small grants for some of their projects.

Child Trafficking Several members partnered with International Justice Mission, also a network member focused on providing legal services, by opening their centers as temporary care facilities for rescued children-victims of trafficking. (2004) The working group developed a teaching tool, the flipchart on Trafficking Prevention that is now being used by various groups in their advocacy work. (2005) Held Facilitators’ Training in several key cities in the country. ( )

Child Trafficking Launching of the Holistic Multi-Sectoral Response to Child Trafficking Prevention in Samar. The project focused on raising awareness on the issue. Over a hundred pastors and church workers were trained in three locations. (2006) An estimated 50,000 people were reached in the first 3 years. No actual study was made but testimonies from teachers, leaders of local villages mentioned that there has been less recruitment of girls and women in their communities.

Child Trafficking Three local networks of churches promoting child protection established in Northern, Western and Eastern Samar. Activities: advocacy, participation in local child protection councils, respond to cases, served as foster families, resource persons on children’s issues to other groups. Churches viewed with new respect and appreciation for their children’s work.

Child Protection in Emergencies September Metro Manila and a large part of Luzon were devastated by typhoon Ondoy/Ketsana. PCMN facilitated a short-term collaborative relief work.

Child Protection in Emergencies Recognizing that the country is prone to all sort of calamities both natural and man-made, the network facilitated an 18 th month capacity building project called, “Equipping Faith-Based Groups in Vulnerable Communities on Disaster Risk Reduction and Protection of Children.” (April September 2011)

Child Protection in Emergencies Twenty five local churches and 5 Christian NGOs participated. With equipping, the churches will serve as advocacy and resource groups in vulnerable communities. Several churches have broadened their engagement to include other child protection issues.

Violence Against Children PCMN launched its latest advocacy thrust on the general issue of Violence Against Children, focusing on 3 specific issues of Corporal Punishment, Child Sexual Abuse and Child Pornography/Online Safety/ Prevention of Cybercrimes against children.(January 2011) Learning sessions on the issues are conducted.

Violence Against Children Held a 3-day training of child advocates for children ages from seventeen churches and NGOs. The child advocates supported by their respective groups will conduct awareness raising sessions to other children in their organization/church, in schools and in the community.

Opportunities and Challenges The country’s great economic and political potential is not yet realized despite a wealth of natural resources, deeply democratic sentiment and a well-educated population. Successive governments failed to deal with serious economic and social issues, holding back development, accelerating unsustainable urbanization and keeping almost half the population in poverty. The current administration is committed to support poverty eradication and good governance programs and projects through the effective and efficient delivery of basic services, including basic education and health services.

Opportunities and Challenges It also emphasizes the relevance of collaborative work with CSOs which include faith-based groups in the performance of their respective functions especially in addressing the poverty situation. Churches and other faith-based groups are welcome to work alongside local government units and national government agencies in promoting the interest and welfare of the people.

The Biggest Challenge to the Philippine Churches - Making Their Faith Communities Truly Child-Friendly The challenge to the church – for each child given the opportunity to: Live well: they are provided all their basic needs of food, clothing, shelter, health and nutrition; Reach their potential: they receive education and opportunities required to fully develop socially, emotionally, culturally, physically and spiritually;

Participate or play a part: they are included in decisions, are free to take part, to express themselves and to receive information; Are free from harm: they are protected from all forms of discrimination, abuse, violence and exploitation.

The churches must find ways to concretize these in the everyday life realities of the children. They need inputs to help them get started and do effective ministries such as: ◦ Capacity building ◦ Access to tools e.g. resource materials ◦ Other technical resources

They must overcome denominational ‘elitism,’ difference in practices and traditions and encouraged to pursue unity with the rest of the Body of Christ. They must learn to engage the world wisely.

The churches that are responding to children at risk are often small and struggling with very little resources. The others in the Body of Christ with the resources are to be challenged and encouraged to become partners if the work among children at risk is to be sustained.

Conclusion The work is great. We need each other to move forward. We need to share and work together.

Thank you very much! Thank you very much!