The staff of the Consortium of Bangsamoro Civil Society attended the Training on Monitoring and Reporting on the Grave Child Rights Violations in Situations of Armed Conflict last November 25-26, 2019 at B Hotel, Quezon City. The said training was attended by 3 Officers.

This two-day training spearheaded by the Save the Children Philippines was aimed to deepen the participants understanding of the rights of the child, the legal mandates that provided the framework for the UN Country Teams to undertake the Monitoring and Reporting of Grave Child Rights Violations especially encountered by children in situations of armed conflict.

So what is Child Protection System? And what are the legal mandates for protecting the rights of the child in armed conflict situations?

A ‘system’ describes a condition where different parts or components are connected up and reinforce each other to achieve a common goal. The system performs better the more that people and actions are connected up and working to achieve the same result.

Child protection systems are comprehensive approaches to the protection of children from abuse, neglect, exploitation and violence.

Child Protection systems are made up of a set of components that, when properly coordinated, work together to strengthen the protective environment around each child. These components include:

• Child Protection laws and policies, compliant with the Convention on the Rights of Child and other international standards and good practice
• Meaningful coordination across government and between sectors at different levels
• Knowledge and data on child protection issues and good practices
• Effective regulation, minimum standards, and oversight
• Preventive and responsive services
• A skilled child protection workforce
• Adequate funding
• Children’s voices and participation
• An aware and supportive public

This section has been adapted from a ‘Rough Guide to CP Systems’, Save the Children (https://agora.unicef.org/mod/lesson/view.php?id=58524&pageid=801)

CBCS commits to support the protection of children against these 6 Grave Child Rights Violations:
• Killing and maiming of children;
• Recruitment or use of children as soldiers;
• Sexual violence against children;
• Abduction of children;
• Attacks against schools or hospitals;
• Denial of humanitarian access for children.

(https://childrenandarmedconflict.un.org/six-grave-violations/)