Key Philippine Military and Insurgency-Related Events: MILF: Training on Grave Child Rights Violation held

Monday, December 24, 2012

MILF: Training on Grave Child Rights Violation held

Posted to the MILF Website (Dec 25): Training on Grave Child Rights Violation held

Around 25 Child Rights Advocates coming from Basilan, Sulu, Tawi-tawi and Zamboanga Sibugay were trained on Monitoring and Reporting Mechanism (MRM) for Grave Child Rights Violation (GCRV) at Jardin la Vina Hotel in Zamboanga City on December 20-22, 2012. The activity was aimed to equip the participants coming from Non-Government Organizations, Social Workers, with the basic knowledge on GCRV, monitoring, reporting and verification mechanisms, responding to GCRV, and information management.

Plan International, an international NGO which champion Child’s Rights, in collaboration with the Integrated Resource Development for Tri-People (IRDT), spearheaded the training with the financial assistance of United Nations International Children’s Fund (UNICEF). Hermelo Latoja, Head of Provincial Social Welfare and Development-Sarangani Province, and Dr. Marcy Carpizo, Director of Peace Center of Western Mindanao State University, facilitated the training-workshop. In the plan of action made by the participants during the workshop, they consider involving other stakeholders that include community members, LGUs and other organizations, to popularize MRM in their provinces “so that more people will be monitoring any GRV in times of conflict.” Other issue that surfaced during the open forum was the proliferation of illegal drugs in Sulu victimizing the youth.

Elias Salazar, Plan International Program Manager, said women and children are the most vulnerable sectors of society in times of conflict and disaster. He thanked the participants for their commitment to partake in undertaking monitoring and reporting any grave violation of child rights Southern Philippines. “MRM training capacitates the child rights advocate with adequate knowledge and skills in reporting any violation on the rights of Filipino children in times of conflict,” he cited.

The Monitoring and Reporting Mechanism (MRM) is an undertaking of the United Nations facilitated by UNICEF aimed to prevent occurrences and trigger immediate response to GCRV.
The UNICEF reported last year that between 1996 to 2006, over two million children were killed in armed conflict, and a further six million disabled, and an estimated 300,000 child soldiers are actively fighting in 30 countries. MRM was established in 2005 as per UN Security Council Resolution 1612.

The United Nations has also identified the following as grave violations of child’s rights: killing and maiming of children; recruitment and use of children in armed group; attacks on schools and hospitals; rape and grave sexual violence; abduction of children; and denial of humanitarian access.
Violation of Child Rights may be committed by the state armed forces or any armed groups.

With UNICEF, Plan International has been facilitating the implementation of UN-MILF Action Plan to halt the involvement of underage persons in the BIAF. The MILF had agreed with the UN not to allow Moro youth below 18-year old to participate in the military affairs of the organization. The said action plan commenced in 2009 and strictly observed by the MILF. The Front imposes sanction to any officers of the Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (BIAF) that will allow recruitment of underage Moro youth in the roster.

Plan International has been involved in implementing the said action plan through monitoring as well as information drive to popularize the said initiative. Report on GCRV in the country gathered by advocates will be verified by Country Task Force on Monitoring and Reporting (CTFMR) led by UNICEF. With other CTFMR members, UNICEF will do necessary response to any GRVs. The report will become part of the UN Secretary General’s Annual Report on Children Associated with Armed Conflict.