The project Communities to Protect Children addresses issues affecting children that they themselves find urgent and affirmed by available data and anecdotal narratives. It seeks to empower children and affected communities to end child abuse and exploitation in identified areas in the Davao Region. In particular, it hopes to capacitate communities to address the interrelated problems of domestic violence and physical abuse of children, child sexual abuse, child labour and child prostitution which local governments have failed to consider urgent.

The project builds the individual and collective confidence of marginalised children to assert their rights. It increases the understanding of community residents about children’s rights and the pressing issues curtailing the enjoyment of these rights. While these are being pursued, the project strengthens community structures and build community networks. This is to prevent and respond to incidents of physical and sexual abuse and economic exploitation of children in child labour and child prostitution.

The expected project outcomes are:

• Increased confidence of children and young people to assert their rights to protection against abuse, economic and sexual exploitation.
• Communities improve child rearing practices and increased role in responding to and prevention of abuse, and sexual and economic exploitation of children.
• Improved barangay prevention and response mechanisms to issues of abuse, sexual and labour exploitation of children.
• Enhanced Capability of the Alliance to implement the project.

“Through Act for Children Alliance, I felt the support that I have been looking for. I am gradually feeling peace ever since I became a part of their program. They continue to visit me and provide me with counselling even after I decided  I  did  not  want  to  file  a  case.  They helped me realize that the traumatizing  experiences  were  not my  fault.  On my  part,  I  also  try  inviting  other  children  to  join  the program so they can also know about their rights and the protection we can get as girl children. I am very thankful for what Act for Children Alliance has been doing for our community.” 

• Excerpt from the story narrated to the project staff on January 19, 2018 by a girl from Purok 2, Mangga, Barangay Gredu, Panabo City. The girl is presently undergoing psychosocial interventions by the social worker/staff of the project who is assigned in the project areas in Panabo City. 

The grant has helped the members of the ACT for Children Alliance further explore new ways of working for and working with children. The idea of exploring the context before plunging the project’s agenda has built the confidence of the project staff to implement project activities with confidence. Again, the conduct of monthly life skills sessions in each barangay continues provided a safe for children discuss issues that they face and the abuse they experience in the family and school including personal and sensitive issues. The monthly parenting sessions provided parents the opportunity to share their experiences and how these have affected their and their children’s lives.  

However, the conditions in this time of the pandemic have set aside these safe spaces created by the project.  Incidents of child abuse in its most common forms are increasing in the home. In times of prolonged state of emergency crisis like the onslaught of Covid 19, there is a need to re-create new safe spaces for children.   

Despite the sudden shift, the following were observed by Child Alert Mindanao and the partners it worked with: 

1. INCREASED CONFIDENCE OF CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE TO ASSERT THEIR RIGHTS TO PROTECTION AGAINST ABUSE, ECONOMIC AND SEXUAL EXPLOITATION. 

Apart from the life skills session, other activities were implemented to sustain engagement with rightsholders. Some of these are the poster-making contest, the radio program, and video clips produced by children themselves.  

1. COMMUNITIES IMPROVED CHILD REARING PRACTICES AND INCREASED ROLE IN RESPONDING TO AND PREVENTION OF ABUSE, AND SEXUAL AND ECONOMIC EXPLOITATION OF CHILDREN 

To work on this, study sessions for the members of the Child Protection Network consisting of 13 barangays were held. There were also 72 online/group chat parenting sessions which were consistently attended by 195 parents, consisting mostly of mothers. 

1. IMPROVED BARANGAY PREVENTION AND RESPONSE MECHANISMSTO ISSUE5 OF ABUSE, SEXUALAND LABOR EXPLOITATION OF CHILDREN. 

Two referral flow charts were produced by the alliance, one concerning the children in conflict with the law and the other on treatment of child victims of abuse and exploitation. All barangays  were oriented on how to use the flowcharts. Flipcharts were also distributed to community educators which can be used as a materials for future learning/awareness-raising sessions. 

There were stories of change particular on the behaviour of the children. One story was narrated by three children in San Vicente, Panabo City. Children intimated that in the early months of the pandemic, there was wide use of gadgets among children to cope with the boredom of staying in the house all the time.  At one time, a child posted a challenge in face book to other girls to post their personal pictures topless. Some other children began posting in their face book account saying “Challenge Accepted” with their topless photos and sexually provocative statements. The children that the project has supported became alarmed and immediately reported these posts to their parents while they themselves confidently reprimanded the children who accepted the challenge telling them of the effects of their posts later on and reminded them of the proper use of social media. 

Future plans  

The values imparted by the project in great ways helped developed some community leaders who are altruistic and dependable in times of crisis. Future projects should consciously have as one of their aims the development of sincere and genuine community leaders.