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 The focus of the Children's desk has shifted from streetchildren to
juvenile justice. This is in recognition of the need to help children
who are currently languishing in jails and detention centers. Its
efforts are presently directed at lobbying for the passage of the
Comprehensive Juvenile Justice Bill which seeks to institute reforms in
the Philippine justice system, making it more responsive to the needs of
children in conflict with the law. The bill advocates for restorative
justice; the need to increase the age of criminal liability of children
from nine to 12 years old; the adoption of diversion programs as
alternatives to incarceration and institutionalization; the
participation of the community in the reintegration of the child
offender; and the creation of an office to oversee the implementation of
juvenile justice programs nationwide. The desk works in tandem with the
Philippine Action for Youth Offenders (PAYO), a coalition of NGOs
helping children in conflict with the law, in lobbying for the bill.
The desk's linkage with PAYO dates back years, and has produced two
landmark laws ensuring the protection and promotion of children's
rights: Republic Act 7610 or the Special Protection of Children Against
Child Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act; and the Family Courts
Act of 1997.
Aside from advocacy, the desk has been actively engaged in research on
children's issues. It participated in various PAYO studies such as the
"Youth in Detention: Issues and Challenges, A Nationwide Survey" in
1996; "Age of Discernment of Filipino Out-of-School Children;" and NGO
Case Studies on Successful Intervention Programs Provided for Children
in Conflict with the Law. As a member of the Philippine NGO Coalition
for Monitoring the Implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the
Child, which is composed of 11 organizations and networks, the desk was actively
involved in drafting the NGO Supplementary Report on the Convention on
the Rights of the Child, which was submitted to the UN Committee on the
Rights of the Child in Geneva.
Future projects include research on youths who have been convicted of
sexual assault; research on effective rehabilitation programs for youth
offenders; and dissemination and popularization of provisions of
the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
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