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| SaferKidsPH Consortium Members led by UNICEF Philippines Representative Ad Interim Behzad Noubary, Save the Children Philippines CEO Atty. Alberto Muyot and The Asia Foundation Country Director Sam Chittick pose for a photo with Supreme Court Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo, Her Excellency HK Yu PSM, Australian Ambassador to the Philippines, Department of Social Welfare and Development Undersecretary Emmeline Villar, and representatives from the various government agencies, civil society, and youth groups during the SaferKidsPH culminating event. (Image Source: Orange Magazine TV/UNICEF Philippines/Anna Paras) |
The multisectoral consortium SaferKidsPH, funded by the Australian Government and implemented by UNICEF, Save the Children Philippines, and the Asia Foundation, called on the Philippine government to continue strengthening child protection systems. This appeal was made during its culminating event to mark the completion of the program. The six-year program started in 2019 with the goal of reducing online sexual abuse and exploitation of children (OSAEC). A 2022 study found that 2 in 10, or around 2 million Filipino internet users aged 12 to 17 had experienced OSAEC. Less than three percent reported the abuse. But encouraging signs of progress have emerged with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) reporting a drop in cyber tip reports from the Philippines from over 2.7 million in 2023 to just over 1.7 million in 2024.
The culminating event showcased the program’s achievements, stories about the program’s beneficiaries, and a ceremonial turnover of SaferKidsPH initiatives to the Philippine government for continued implementation. The turnover was represented by Supreme Court (SC) Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo, Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Undersecretary Emmeline Villar, Department of Justice (DOJ) National Coordination Center Against OSAEC and CSAEM OIC Executive Director Barbara Mae Pagdilao-Flores. Officials from the Philippine National Police, Department of Education, Department of Information and Communications Technology, Council for the Welfare of Children, and local government officials were also present. “We are incredibly proud of the progress SaferkidsPH has made in strengthening the child protection system in the Philippines, showing how collaboration, commitment and tenacity of government, civil society, international partners, and the children and their families can address the complex challenge of OSAEC. Let us build on this momentum to fight against a hidden, largely invisible crime that threatens our children’s safety. UNICEF remains committed to supporting the government in strengthening the child protection system,” said UNICEF Philippines Representative Ad Interim Behzad Noubary. The SaferKidsPH program supported key laws and policies including the Anti-OSAEC and the Anti-Child Sexual Abuse or Exploitation Materials (CSAEM) Act (Republic Act 11930), and policies that help law enforcers in handling OSAEC cases. Local service providers and community members were trained to prevent and respond to OSAEC while millions were reached through social media campaigns about positive behaviors online. SaferKidsPH actively involved children and youth and partnered with the private sector to establish child protection initiatives.
“Working together with our consortium partners and the Australian Government has been key to the success of SaferKidsPH. Just as vital are the efforts of our local partners on the ground, including LGU officials, social workers, teachers, parents, and caregivers, who bring these programs to life in communities every day. Most of all, we recognize the role of children not just as beneficiaries but as active campaigners in the fight to end abuse and exploitation, both offline and online. Their active participation and leadership remind us that child protection must always include children themselves,” said Save The Children Philippines Chief Executive Officer Atty. Alberto Muyot. Sam Chittick, Country Representative of The Asia Foundation in the Philippines, added, “The Asia Foundation is proud of our work in supporting victim-survivors of OSAEC as they pursue justice in our courts nationwide. Our partnership with the Supreme Court and the Philippine National Police under SaferKidsPH has made it safer for victim-survivors to seek justice through child-friendly and trauma-informed processes in the investigation and adjudication of OSAEC cases. However, more work needs to be done as the threats are still felt every day, and the terrain for online exploitation is rapidly evolving. It is vitally important that all citizens and institutions strive together to create a world without OSAEC.” The culminating event celebrated six years of accomplishments and reinforced stakeholder commitment to keep child online protection a priority. The SaferKidsPH consortium is confident that the initiatives turned over to the Philippine government will be sustained and expanded to ensure lasting impact for Filipino children.
“For me, SaferKidsPH has not only been a flagship development initiative during my time here — it has also been one of the programs closest to my heart. When I pledged to be an Australian public servant nearly 35 years ago, I did so because I wanted to make a difference in people’s lives. Nothing does that better than a project like this — where we are touching the lives of innocent and valuable children and rescuing them from things that are just so difficult to imagine. As my time in the Philippines draws to a close, I leave with immense gratitude and with confidence that this work we started together will be carried forward, strengthened, and sustained,” said Australian Ambassador to the Philippines, Her Excellency HK Yu PSM. Chief Justice Gesmundo, the event’s keynote speaker, described SaferKidsPH as a “beacon of hope” in protecting children from OSAEC. He reiterated the SC’s commitment to continuing the work by enhancing judicial processes for children and vowed to sustain and expand the impact of the consortium’s initiatives to ensure that “every Filipino child grows up in a world where their safety, dignity, and potential are protected”.
