Butuan City – Children here may have just found themselves a group of defenders as the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) field office Caraga spearheaded the Consultation Dialogue with Children Leaders at Luciana Inn, October 21.

Students leaders from different schools in Butuan City met with officials of the Regional Council for the Welfare of Children (RCWC) to discuss child rights, child protection, and advocating awareness on violence against children (VAC).

As more cases of violence against children are reported every year in the country, the RCWC called on to children leaders to actively involve in promoting and creating deeper awareness among students on their rights.

Golda V. Pocon, specialist for children and youth, pointed out that the children leaders must give voice and stand up against VAC.

“We need voices as advocate of children’s rights. We should encourage confidence among our children leaders so they can stand up for other children,” she explained.

 

Pocon hoped that through this dialogue, children leaders and other students will campaign on VAC everywhere by integrating what they learned and replicate the advocacy in their respective schools.

 

“With what I learned about violence, I will help teach other children on their rights to stop the violence committed towards children especially children with disabilities (CWD) who are usually victims of bullying,” Clint Christian Girgo reflected, a student leader from Angelicum Montessori School.

A recent study of the United Nations Secretary General (UNSG) on VAC concluded that violence against children happens everywhere, in every country and society and across all social groups.

The UN admits that there is still much to be done however, advocacy and training have helped increase understanding of VAC.

With this dialogue, the government will now be seeing more children advocates in the region to help them put an end to violence committed against children everywhere. ### (Social Marketing Unit)