THE operations being undertaken by state forces against so-called threat groups in Mindanao have already resulted in the displacement of at least 76, 383 children, according to the Save the Children Philippines.
As such, the children have suffered from trauma and hunger, and have been forced out of school, it said, as it pushed for the victims’ protection and access to humanitarian support.
The child rights organization said the children were just among the 127,306 individuals affected by conflict in four provinces and one city in Mindanao.
Citing reports it received in between February and March this year, the organization said that 8, 911 people were displaced in Lanao del Sur; 35, 235 in Maguindanao; 5,160 in Sulu and 12, 000 in Surigao del Sur.
It noted that in Marawi City, 66, 000 individuals are still living in tents, two years after the military and Islamic State fighters battled it out in the heart of the city.
Lawyer Albert Muyot, chief executive officer of Save the Children Philippines called on the parties involved in conflicts to adhere to international humanitarian laws and ensure the children’s continued access to food, health and learning facilities.
“The harm done to children by the conflict is devastating,” he said, noting that the children’s conflict experiences ranges from seeing killings and maiming to seeing the destruction of their homes, communities and facilities.
They have also witnessed the death of their family members.
“Schools and health centers should be declared as Zones of Peace to allow children to continue their studies and get access to health care and nutrition,” Muyot said.
The Save the Children Philippines is providing psychosocial support, learning materials and facilities to the affected children, putting up Child Friendly Spaces (CFS), a safe space where children can play and learn and Temporary Learning Spaces (TLS) where learners and teachers could resume classes.
It was also providing back-to-school and hygiene kits for displaced children and holding psychosocial sessions for them.
“We call on parties to allow children and their families to have access to humanitarian support and protection such as food, shelter and learning facilities,” Reggie Aquino, humanitarian manager of Save the Children Philippines, said.
The Save the Children launched in February the “Stop the War on Children,” a worldwide campaign that highlights the alarming situation of 420 million children living in conflict zones.
It said the figure showed that worldwide, one in five children lives in conflict-affected areas and as such, suffers from direct and indirect impact of conflict.
The Save the Children said that in 2016, some 30 million are situated in conflict zones.
1 comment
im just curious… i have made 2 trips to assist in relief efforts in magindanao. where are these 76,000+ children?