The Philippines celebrates its National Children’s Month every November. This coincides with the anniversary of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), which is also celebrated on the 20th day of every November.
Activities part of the Children’s Month has traditionally included talent shows, art contests, and learning symposia, among others. These activities are commonly designed and organized by adults for children to join, win prizes, gain new knowledge, or get a chance to be recognized for their achievements.
EDUCO has always supported National Children’s Month celebrations of its partner local governments and schools. As in the previous year, EDUCO-partner municipal and city governments received PHP 100,000 each exclusively to support National Children’s Month activities. However, since EDUCO started working more closely with its partners; it encouraged more responsive child rights-based programming for children.
In doing so, governments and schools started using a child rights lens in looking at their services and projects for children. EDUCO believes that for children to lead a life of dignity, all their rights must be respected, fulfilled, and protected.
In the 12 municipalities in Bicol where EDUCO is currently working, leaders have begun stepping up to the challenge of achieving child rights in their communities, where about 400,000 children reside. One real manifestation of their commitment for children is delivering the State of the Children Address (SOCA), every November. To some communities here in Bicol, this is a first.
Left: Child leaders attend the State of the Children Address of the Municipality of Daraga held November 29 at Casa Lorenzo. Right: Ligao City Mayor Patricia Gonzales-Alsua delivers the City’s first ever official State of the Children Report during the 2017 Children’s Congress held November 27 at the City Gym.
Democracy’s success, after all, relies heavily on a well-informed citizenry. Aside from governments finally having the opportunity to review programs for children with a fresh perspective, the SOCA empowers the community—especially the children.
Through the SOCA, child leaders and representatives are empowered with updated information on the plight of their fellow children as well as the available services for them.
Civil society organizations, parent-teacher associations, and other members of the community likewise gain a better grasp of the state of its most vulnerable members; this enables them to adjust their activities accordingly to better support children’s well-being.
State of the Children Report is best delivered and popularized during Children’s Month celebrations, the only event that provides the unique opportunity of regularly capturing an audience of all child rights stakeholders in a community, most especially the children.
At present, SOCAs are rich on information related to survival and development rights of children. Because there are institutionalized programs on medical (prenatal care), nutrition (feeding), and education (primary, secondary, and alternative). Reports on children can be enhanced, however, by generating more data on children’s protection and participation rights. EDUCO envisions the institutionalization of SOCA as part the annual National Children’s Month celebration.
To know more about children in your community, reach out to your Local Council for the Protection of Children or Office of the Mayor.#
