After 22 years of continuously strengthening child rights protection systems, the Philippines will be officially removed from the United Nations’ (UN) agenda of children and armed conflict in 2025.

This historical development follows the release of the 2024 report of UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Children and Armed Conflict (CAAC) last June 20.

Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Undersecretary Fatima Aliah Dimaporo of the agency’s Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs said on Tuesday (July 1) this milestone marks the country’s commitment of creating a safe and enabling environment for children, especially those who are in situations of armed conflict.

“The removal of the Philippines from the UN report on children and armed conflict is proof that our efforts in prioritizing peace and upholding the rights of children are on the right track. We are very happy with this development, and we will continue to ensure that our efforts to prioritize the protection and welfare of children will remain as part of our national priorities,” Undersecretary Dimaporo said.

The Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC) led by Undersecretary Angelo Tapales has been at the forefront of high-level engagements with key UN representatives where the CWC presented child protection measures, peace initiatives, and policy reforms being implemented by the Philippine government to guarantee the best interest of children at all times.

One of the successful engagements of the CWC was a meeting with the UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) on CAAC Virginia Gamba on March 27 in New York.

Among the key initiatives discussed by Undersecretary Tapales during the meeting were: the establishment of the Inter-Agency Committee on Children in Situations of Armed Conflict (IAC-CSAC) in 2019 to oversee the implementation of Republic Act No. 11188 or the “Special Protection of Children in Situations of Armed Conflict Act”; the adoption of the 4th National Plan of Action for Children (NPAC), which aligns with international child rights standards; and Executive Order No. 79 series of 2024, which created the MAKABATA Program and institutionalized the MAKABATA Helpline 1383 as the central reporting system for all issues and concerns related to Children in Need of Special Protection.

“The Philippines carries forward a strong record of effective action—strengthening protections, institutionalizing safeguards, and ensuring that no child is left vulnerable to conflict,” Undersecretary Tapales told SRSG Gamba.

Last June 11, Asst. Secretary Elaine Fallarcuna of the Legislative Affairs Group was also invited to serve as a panelist in the side event of the 18th Session of the Conference of States Parties to the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (COSP18-CRPD) titled, “Protecting Children in Armed Conflict, Safeguarding Futures.”

During the COSP18-CPRD side event, Asst. Secretary Fallarcuna presented significant policies that were created to protect children from being placed in situations of armed conflict such as the enactment of RA 11188; the creation of the Inter-Agency Committee on Children in Situations of Armed Conflict (IAC CSAC); and, the institutionalization of a Monitoring, Reporting, and Response System (MRRS) which is a reporting mechanism to address grave child rights violations.

“Together with the UN, civil society, and other stakeholders, we have improved our national reporting mechanism, expanded our capacities, and aligned our programs with global norms. As a result of these efforts, we have seen a measurable decrease in grave child rights violations. From 69 cases in 2018, 79 cases in 2019, and 25 cases in 2023. For 2024, the Philippines has brought down the cases of grave child rights violations to only nine,” Asst. Secretary Fallarcuna said in her report.

Upon instructions of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr., the DSWD, under the leadership of Secretary Rex Gatchalian, will continue creating a safe, nurturing, and enabling environment for children to help them achieve their full potential. (AKDL)