crc asia annual report 2017 · crc asia members are active in monitoring the implementation of the...

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Annual Report

2017

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ABOUT CRC Asia Child Rights Coalition Asia (CRC Asia) is a network of child rights organizations working together to be a strong voice for child rights in the region by leading in strengthening of child rights movements, promoting innovative programs, and advocating for better policies for and with children. In April 2017, CRC Asia reviewed its achievements, challenges, and future plans and developed a new strategic plan for the next five years (2017-2021), with inputs from children gathered through an online survey. This resulted to the updating of CRC Asia’s Vision and Mission, as well as the identification of CRC Asia’s three main programs and core activities. Vision All children living in dignity by fully enjoying and exercising their rights Mission To be a strong voice for child rights by leading in the strengthening child rights movements, promoting innovative programs, and advocating better policies for and with children in the region Programs

1. Child Rights Governance 2. Child Protection 3. Child Participation

CRC Asia Core Values Best Interest of the Child

Child Participation Non-discrimination

Right to Life, Survival, and Development Accountability

Integrity Transparencyt

Efficiency Non-Violence

Mutual Respect

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Core Activities 1. Strengthening Child Rights Movements

This includes building networks/alliances with stakeholders, as well as building the capacity of CRC Asia, its members, and other partners in order to play an active role to achieve the objectives and outcomes.

2. Promoting Innovative Approaches This includes raising awareness through offline and online means, conducting and/or providing support to campaigns, and development of communication materials.

3. Advocating Better Policies This includes developing/continuing relationships with stakeholders; engaging with target bodies and groups through online and offline means; gathering inputs from different partners and stakeholders through consultations, workshops, or other participatory process; and conducting and/or providing support to research.

OUR MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS

CRC Asia welcomed three new member organizations in 2017, expanding its reach to 11 countries and territories.

1. Child Rights Coalition Cambodia (CRC Cambodia) 2. Hong Kong Committee on Children’s Rights 3. Sahabut Perempuan dan Anak Indonesia (SAPA Indonesia) 4. Yayasan KKSP Education and Information Centre for Child Rights (Indonesia) 5. Yayasan SEJIWA (Indonesia) 6. Village Focus International (Lao PDR)* 7. Protect and Save the Children (Malaysia) 8. Equality Myanmar 9. Group Development Pakistan* 10. Mindanao Action Group for Children’s Rights to Protection (Philippines) 11. Child Welfare League Foundation (Taiwan)* 12. The Life Skills Development Foundation (Thailand) 13. Vietnam Association for the Protection of Children’s Rights *New member in 2017

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OUR AFFILIATIONS

1. Formal consultative status with the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR)

2. Member of Child Rights Connect 3. Member of the Solidarity for Asian People’s Advocacy 4. Member of the Working Group on the Development of the General Comment on

Public Investment in Children 5. Member of the Global Partnership to End Violence against Children 6. Supporting Organization to the Global Study on Children Deprived of Liberty

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CHILD RIGHTS GOVERNANCE PROGRAM CRC Asia aims to create and improve systems and/or policies for children to claim their rights.

Building capacities on child rights monitoring and implementation

In July 2017 in Bangkok, Thailand, CRC Asia conducted a regional training on the reporting process of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UN CRC), as well as on the other opportunities for child rights monitoring in the United Nations. It was attended by 30 civil society organizations and coalitions from Southeast Asia, South Asia and East Asia. CRC Asia members are active in monitoring the implementation of the UN CRC at the country level. In 2017, CRC Asia extended support to its members in rolling out the regional training, as well as in deepening the understanding on child rights issues and principles. CRC Cambodia re-echoed the training, attended by 35 of its member organizations and four representatives of children and youth-led networks/groups, in preparation of the development of the UN CRC alternative report the following year. Similarly, The Life Skills Development Foundation in Thailand organized 29 individuals representing 13 child rights organizations to strategize on the development of an alternative report expected to be submitted in 2018. In Indonesia, SAPA Indonesia co-organized with Yayasan KKSP, Yayasan SEJIWA and Proclamation of Indonesian Children (PAI) the two-day Training for the Preparation of the Alternative Report to the

UN Committee on the Rights of the Child in November 2017. In the Philippines,

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coalitions were trained to have a deeper understanding and improved monitoring on the realization of the principle of child participation.

CRC Asia also organized its 3rd Asia-Pacific Partnership Meeting

of Child Rights Coalitions and

Networks (APPM) in July 2017 in Bangkok, Thailand where CRC Asia engaged with a total of 40 participants from 36 child rights coalitions and organizations in 20 countries. The APPM is an annual event which serves as a was a venue to improve

knowledge on emerging child rights issues and situations. This year, it was also utilized to develop plans for collaboration on child rights advocacy among child rights organizations and coalitions.

Improving Public Investment in Children

As a member of Child Rights Connect Working Group on Investment in Children, CRC Asia has been active in the advocacy on child rights budgeting since the development stages of the UN CRC General Comment No. 19: Public budgeting for the realization

of children’s rights. Continuing this effort, CRC Asia simultaneously advocates for the implementation of the General Comment and builds the capacity of stakeholders, including CRC Asia and its member organizations, in contributing to the improved public investment in children.

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CHILD PROTECTION PROGRAM CRC Asia works to improve the protection of children from all forms of violence in the region

Eliminating Violence against Children

CRC Asia provided technical support in the conduct of the children’s session of the Seventh High-Level Cross-Regional Roundtable on Violence against Children on

Violence against Children organized by the UNSRSG-VAC, ASEAN, and the government of the Philippines through its SOMSWD representative. Given that the idea of highlighting child participation in the Roundtable was proposed by CRC Asia in 2016, CRC Asia was invited to be part of the technical working group of the Roundtable. By being part of the technical working group, CRC Asia made sure that the activity has child safeguarding protocols and code of conduct in place. CRC Asia also strived to encourage the technical working group to conduct the activity in accordance with the minimum international standards on child participation.

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In addition, CRC Asia led the coordination of the conduct of the Civil Society

Organizations and Children’s Dialogue with the UNSRSG-VAC on behalf of the Civil Society Coalition on the Convention on the Rights of the Child in the Philippines. In this dialogue, the issues of children affected by armed conflict, corporal punishment, children affected by the “war on drugs,” and minimum age of criminal responsibility were discussed. The earmarking of public budget for children’s rights was likewise raised, with a positive feedback from the UNSRSG-VAC that her office will look into this topic more closely. Regarding online child protection, CRC Asia was contacted as a key expert for a background report1 on having a UN CRC general comment on children’s rights and the digital media commissioned by the Children’s Commissioner for England. This was a result of CRC Asia’s efforts on online child protection in 2016.

Engaging with international, regional, and national bodies and organizations

In 2017, CRC Asia initiated engagements with the national human rights institutions (NHRIs) in Southeast Asia. The APPM served as the first attempt to involve the NHRIs in CRC Asia’s advocacy, and it was followed by the Investing in Children Learning

Session, which was a strategy to raise the NHRIs awareness on improving public budgeting for children’s right to protection. CRC Asia had several engagements with Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) through its sectoral bodies, such as the ASEAN Commission on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children (ACWC), ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR), and ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting on Social Welfare and Development (SOMSWD). A few outcomes from these engagements include the adoption of ethical considerations for the conduct of ACWC’s Baseline Study on the Status of Child Participation in ASEAN and Member

States; inclusion of public budgeting for children’s rights in the ACWC Work Plan;

1 Link to the report: https://www.childrenscommissioner.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Case-for-general-comment-on-digital-media.pdf

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submission of child rights-based recommendations for the implementation of the ASEAN Convention against Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children (ACTIP); acceptance of CRC Asia’s proposal to include a discussion on the UN CRC Optional Protocols and related instruments on the 2018 AICHR Work Plan; raising of issues of children with disabilities to the AICHR; and advocacy for civil society space and child participation in the ASEAN decision-making processes. CRC Asia also improved its coordination and knowledge-sharing efforts with child rights organizations from South Asia. By engaging with the South Asia Initiative to End Violence against Children (SAIEVAC) and the National Action Coordinating Group to End Violence against Children (NACG), CRC Asia was able to share its expertise on children’s rights issues, especially on eliminating violence against children, upholding child participation, and improving online child protection.

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Child Participation CRC Asia strives to advance children’s participation in the region

Providing platforms for children to speak out

CRC Asia conducted the 4th

Regional Children’s Meeting participated by 25 children from 11 child-led organizations from nine countries in Asia. The children, with the help of CRC Asia’s member organizations, were selected in an informative, fair, consultative, and child-friendly process. With inputs from the Office of the United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence against Children, the Meeting aimed to build the children’s capacity and understanding on their rights, particularly on their right to be heard and be protected. It included sessions about speaking up, organizing campaigns, and using videos and puppet shows for advocacy. The Meeting also served as the starting point for the children to develop their own advocacy actions in their countries. After the Meeting, the children prepared campaign proposals with their respective child-led organizations and implemented these with the support and supervision of CRC Asia member organizations. The child-led organization from Lao PDR raised the issues of child exploitation, verbal abuse, child labor, and child participation using contests and sports. The group from Thailand held a learning session to campaign against physical and humiliating punishment. One group from Indonesia produced and showcased a film about bullying, while another Indonesian group organized and video-recorded a public parade on sexual violence against children. In Vietnam, the children produced a video report about sexual violence and conducted tree planting and a clean-

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up drive to raise issues about environmental protection. The children from Pakistan conducted a training about theater plays and used the learnings to showcase a play about child marriage and child labor. In Cambodia, the children produced a video about safe migration and children on the move. This video will be submitted to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child as part of the Children’s Report.

Raising awareness on children’s rights

CRC Asia develops resource materials to deepen the understanding of stakeholders on children’s rights. In 2017, CRC Asia printed a child-friendly version of the UN CRC

General Comment No. 19:

Public budgeting for the

realization of children’s rights produced by the Centre for Children’s Rights, Queen’s University Belfast, with advice from a group of children aged 10-14 and the Child Rights Connect Working Group on Investment in Children, including this CRC Asia. In the version reprinted by CRC Asia, another page was added to highlight the economic cost of violence against children. In addition, CRC Asia’s #SafeWeb4Kids booklet on online child protection was translated and published in Mongolia and in Republic of Korea.

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OUR FUNDING PARTNERS AND SUPPORTERS CRC Asia would like to thank our partners and supporters.

OUR SECRETARIAT Regional Executive Director Amihan Abueva Program Manager Ethel Fortaleza Advocacy and Communications Coordinator Hazelyn Joy Bitaña Policy Advocacy Officer Luz Indah Abayan Finance Officer Irma dela Cruz Administration and Finance Assistant Francis Copino

OUR BOARD OF TRUSTEES President Ms. Elizabeth P. de Castro, PhD Secretary: (Ret. Usec.) Lourdes Balanon Treasurer: Ms. Helen Grace Ortha-Conol Members: Atty. Felicitas Aquino-Arroyo

Mr. Sanphasit Koompraphant Ms. Billy Wong Ms. Lan Nguyen Thi

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FINANCES Statement of Financial Position

As of 31 December 2017

ASSETS 2017 PHP

2016 PHP

Current Assets Cash 512,330 310,497 Receivables 9,181 126,743 Other Current Assets 30,000 30,000 Non-Current Assets Property and Equipment 172,413 128,389 TOTAL ASSETS 723,925 595,629

LIABILITIES AND FUND BALANCES

2017 PHP

2016 PHP

Liabilities Payables 304,485 443,976 Deferred Support 223,763 0 Fund Balances Operational Fund 23,264 23,264 Property Fund 172,413 128,839 TOTAL LIABILITIES AND FUND BALANCES

723,925

595,629

Statement of Financial Activities As of 31 December 2017

2017 PHP

2016 PHP

Support Grants and Donations 15,159,651 15,085,977 Membership Fees 44,856

Total Support 15,204,507 15,085,977 Expenses Project Costs 15,176,144 15,244,877 General Fund Administrative Expenses 28,821 369,464

Total Expenses 15,204,965 15,614,341 Excess (Deficit) of support over expenses (458) (528,363)

Other Comprehensive Income Interest income from bank account 458 1,685 Unrealized foreign exchange gain (loss) 0 (6,653) EXCESS (DEFICIT) FOR THE YEAR 0 (533,332)

INCOME 2017

Project with Plan International Asia Regional Office

Project with Save the Children Philippines

Other small-scale projects, membership fees, donations, deferred support

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Child Rights Coalition Asia (CRC Asia) Unit 13 Block 5 Romarosa Townhomes Luzon Avenue, Brgy. Matandang Balara

Quezon City, Metro Manila Philippines 1119 +63 2 799 2971 www.crcasia.org

[email protected]

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