Child Protection

        United Nations Children’s Emergency Fund or UNICEF (1946) defines child protection as the prevention and the respond to violence, exploitation and abuse against children including sexual exploitation, child trafficking, child labor and harmful traditional practices. According to UNICEF (2014), “children who experience violence are at risk of serious short- and long term physical, psychological and social consequences , including illness, unwanted pregnancy, psychological distress, stigma and difficulties at school.

        The Royal College of Pediatrics and Child Health (2014) build on this definition, stating that child protection is a process of protecting individual children as identified to be suffering or likely to suffer, significant harm as a result of abuse or neglect. Child abuse has been rampant throughout the years and it is slowly becoming worse. Child Help, a non-profit charity that focuses on victims of child abuse, recently gathered facts last March 2015 and found that approximately five children die every day because of child abuse.

        Alekseeva (2007) stated, “children make up the segment of society that is the most defenseless, vulnerable and completely dependent on adults. It is the fault of adults when children end up in areas of natural disasters and catastrophes or zones of military combat operation and become the hostages and victims of physical, sexual and emotional violence.

        Under the Philippine Constitution, children have the right for assistance including proper care and protection against al forms of exploitation. Soul (2011), in his study, suggests that young people play a vital role in nation building and community development. It is then important to for the family together with the government to mobilize youth to participate in the political process. The researchers, want to identify the challenges faced by the local government of Bacolod in implementing “Child Protection Policies’’ and their mechanisms to serve and protect the youth.

        The researchers wish to tackle the current problem faced by children and families around. Child abuse is rampant be it at home, at school or in the barangay. Thus the creation of the BCPC has come to play. In order to protect the children. There must be an implementing force in order to lessen the crimes. As Humanium (2014) stated, the person of childhood is a phase in which the human being is more vulnerable because they have not finished developing physically or mentally. Therefore, their immediate attention and protection must be taken into account. Children depend on adults and the environment around them. If they are being maltreated, they won’t grow into individuals who can protect themselves. We are reminded of what Alekseeva (2007) stated, “children make up the segment of society that is the most defenseless, vulnerable and completely dependent on adults. It is the fault of adults when children end up in areas of natural disasters and catastrophes or zones of military combat operation and become the hostages and victims of physical, sexual and emotional violence.”

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