The CRC Coalition conducted a second writeshop on the NGO Alternative Report last June 18 in La Breza Hotel, Quezon City. The activity focused on specific issues faced by children with disabilities, children with mental health concerns, children in institutions, and children of migrant workers under the Basic Health and Welfare Cluster and Family Environment and Alternative Care.
Secretariat Coordinator of CRC Coalition, Magnolia Escobedo discussed the reporting and monitoring process of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child in order to familiarize the participants in international mechanisms that civil societies can tap to raise their issues. It was followed by a writeshop based on the 2009 Concluding Observations, facilitated by Cecile Cornejo of Plan International.
Hazel Planco of Natasha Goulborn Foundation shared about the situation of children’s mental health and common mental health problems that occurs such as depresession, self-harm, anxiety disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and eating disorder. She emphasized that a person is never too young to talk about mental health, especially that half of mental illness starts by the age of 14, according to the World Health Organization.
After the presentations, the thematic cluster on health and family presented the progress from the 2009 concluding observations, emerging issues, gaps, and specific recommendations needed to be included in the NGO Alternative Report.
The CRC Coalition would like to acknowledge the members and partners present in Part 2 of Expanding Spaces: Writeshop on NGO Alternative Report that shared their expertise to make the report genuinely reflective of children’s situation in the country.
Center for Migrant Advocacy | Community Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Facilitators | International Seafarers Action Center | Lifehaven Center for Independent Living | Natasha Goulborn Foundation | NORFIL Foundation | Plan International | Philippine Coalition on CRPD | Salvatorian Pastoral Care for Children | Silakbo PH | St. Mary’s Academy OFW Support Program | Tala | Unang Hakbang Foundation