Thousands of Filipino children traumatised by fighting in Marawi
Today, on the occasion of the Global Disability Summit, the UK Government became the first major donor of its kind to explicitly pledge support for family and community-based care for all children.
Championing families and not orphanages, Secretary of State for International Development, Penny Mordaunt, announced: “Orphanages are harmful to children and it is often those with disabilities who are placed in them the most. This needs to end, which is why I’m committed to the long-term plan to ensure all children grow up with a family of their own.”
An NGO alliance including Hope and Homes, Lumos, Save the Children and World Vision - have joined forces to echo the UK Government’s commitment and support global change for children trapped in orphanages, especially those with disabilities who are the furthest left behind. The launch ofthe new ‘Civil Society Compact [CSO Compact]’ sets out a pathway for change to help eliminate orphanages worldwide.
“Recognising that institutionalisation harms children – and that children with disabilities are overrepresented in institutions –we commit to work together toward eliminating the institutionalisation of children globally. Ensuring our organisations do not contribute towards the institutionalisation of children, directly or indirectly - and in line with international treaties and best practice, we share the UK Government’s pledge to enable all children to have the opportunity to realise their right to family care.”
World Vision is a proud signatory to the CSO Compact, which is set out in full below.
Now is the time for other governments, funders, companies and individuals to follow suit and invest in alternatives to orphanages so all children can thrive in families.
CSO COMPACT
Recognising that institutionalisation harms children’s physical, emotional, psychological and psychosocial development, the undersigned organisations pledge to work toward the end of institutionalization of children and for the promotion of family-based care.
The occasion of the first Global Disability Summit makes this a particularly appropriate moment for this commitment, since children with disabilities are often the first to enter an institution and the last to leave.
In-line with international treaties and best practice, including the UN Guidelines on the Alternative Care of Children, UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, we share the UK Government’s pledge to enable all children to have the opportunity to realise their right to family care and, in accordance with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable development, commit to leave no child behind in this effort.
We are committed to ensuring our organisations do not, either directly or indirectly, contribute towards the institutionalisation of children. We are also committed to coordinating our activities and resources to maximise our collective efforts to support the transition to family and community-based care worldwide. Specifically, we commit to coordinating around six key themes:
Raising awareness and understanding in a way that stops the flow of funding and resources in support of orphanages and other types of institutions, and helping to redirect this support to family and community-based solutions. We will also seek to influence our partners, supporters and donors to work in a coordinated way to do the same.
Encouraging the integration of child protection and care services with health and education support in order to promote family-based care and ensure that the wide-ranging needs of children with disabilities and their carers are met.
Advocating with decision-makers - international and national - to prevent the placement of children into institutions, and to ensure that legislation and policy are always derived from a locally developed evidence base on how to best combat the key drivers of institutionalisation.
Investing in (whether financial or in-kind) local partner capacity – civil society and local authorities – to effectively manage the transition from institutions to quality family and community-based care in ways that protect the rights of affected children.
Promoting the meaningful participation of children and young people - actively seeking out, listening to and acting on the views and opinions of the young people and children we work with, and where safe and appropriate to do so, giving them a platform to share their views and ideas more widely – paying particular attention to ensuring gender balance, and the inclusion of children with disabilities and other minority groups.
Researching and generating an evidence base about key issues such as:
· best practice interventions to address the key drivers of institutionalisation;
· the proliferation and poor quality of care in these institutions;
· ways to challenge the invisibility of children in institutions, especially children with disabilities;
· the most appropriate alternative care options for children who cannot live with their own biological family.
To achieve this we will work together to share our data, research findings, methodologies and support countries to gather better data and monitor outcomes for all children. In doing this we will seek to Increase the visibility and understanding of disability issues in children’s care and protection through wider research and routinely disaggregated data collection.
List of signatories
1. Save the Children UK
2. World Vision
3. Plan International UK
4. Human Rights Watch
5. Islamic Relief Worldwide
6. Disability Rights International
7. Hope and Homes for Children
8. Lumos
9. DeafKidz International
10. Home for Good
11. Better Care Network
12. Friends International
13. Chance for Childhood
14. HealthProm
15. Forget Me Not Australia
16. Next Generation Nepal
17. One Sky Foundation
18. Global Initiative to End All Corporal Punishment of Children
Rosela and her daughter find safety in World Vision supported evacuation centre in Mindanao
International children’s charity World Vision, has warned that thousands of children have been left shell-shocked and traumatised by continuous fighting in the Phillipines city of Marawi.
The charity’s humanitarian experts say over 100,000 children have been displaced by the conflict that has been raging since the end of May. Thousands of children are paying a heavy price due to the unrest, with many now needing psychological first aid after experiencing and witnessing alarming levels of violence.
Ligaya Munez, World Vision’s Programmes Manager in Mindanao said: “We are setting up child-friendly spaces (CFS) to provide psychological first aid to children affected by the crisis. We’ve been going around evacuation centres and we’ve seen the struggles of the displaced children. We hope that through CFS, we can somehow give a sense of normalcy to the children.
“Aside from the humid environment and being unable to go to school, some children are still in shock from the gunshots and loud explosions they heard in Marawi,” Munez said.
World Vision is currently training tne staff members in psychological first aid. They will support displaced children in the CFS at evacuation centres in Iligan City - less than 25 miles from the ongoing street battles. Reports also show that schooling of at least 22,000 elementary and high school students would be disrupted due to the continuing fighting.
Munez explained: “Many of Marawi’s displaced residents have arrived at the evacuation centres with nothing. Now they are desperate for basic items and amenities: water, food, nappies, cooking utensils, school supplies, places to wash and even toilets.
“Many survivors also need cash for transportation to reach extended family members in other parts of the Philippines. The needs here are immense and we need all the support we can get. World Vision is appealing for £160,000 to respond to the immediate needs of the most vulnerable children and their families who were affected,” Munez added.
Clashes between the Philippines army and local armed militia groups in Marawi - the capital of the country's second largest island, Mindanao – have claimed the lives of at least 175 people, while more than 220,000 residents have been forced to flee their homes.
Rosela, a 37-year old mother and Marawi-resident has fled to Iligan City after fighting broke out. She said: “My 2-year old daughter cried every time she heard gun shots and loud explosions, I was very worried about my children and no matter how I wanted to be positive, the fear of losing any of my family members shook me to the core.”
Children in Marawi were supposed to start school on Monday (05 June 2017), but the violence has made that impossible.
World Vision is working together with the Filipino Department of Education. Together they plan to open temporary learning spaces at 10 locations in Iligan City where many of Marawi’s displaced populace have fled. The charity is also planning to distribute 18,000 learner’s kits to children who would otherwise miss out on their education.