EDUC 1
CHILD AND ADOLESCENT DEVELOPMENT
Name: JOHN PAUL CAMEROS
Instructor: ROBERTO T. TAGOSE JR.
Activity No. 1
Date of Submission:
Score:
Discuss the following:
1. What are the rights of the child that are most often violated? Why?
Children are the most vulnerable individuals in the society due to their innocence and
differences in life, culture, religion, and race; hence it should befit that they are protected at all
cost. But despite these rights, there are still a number of cases that have been violated against
children. Based on my research and interviews, the following are the rights of the child that are
most often violated:
a.
Under provision 8 of Article 3 PD No. 603: The Child and Youth Welfare Code
states that, “every child has the right to protection against exploitation, improper
influences, hazards, and other conditions or circumstances prejudicial to his physical,
mental, emotional, social and moral development.”
This provision has been the most violated against children not just in the
Philippines but around the world pertaining to child labor. We must be seeing a world
where children must be seen smiling and laughing while playing with their friends, family
and loved ones; where they must be inside their homes watching cartoons or reading
books; where they must be sleeping peacefully under the care of their parents; have
their dreams gone and taken away because of the reason that they must enforced to
labor. Child labor refers to young individuals who engaged in activities that compromise
their mental, physical, emotional, social or educational development. These young
individuals have either forced to work or voluntarily engaged due to factor like poverty.
Their right to a safe and healthy environment must not be put to risk although cultural
and social differences dictates relatively, but it should never be tolerated and never
should be an option for parents to hand their children into such activities. Such act
should never deprived children from their wonderful childhood experience.
b.
Right to education. Children must be given the right education in order for
them to grow and be knowledgeable to understand his/her surrounding. However, not
everyone is blessed to experience the opportunity to learn. The lack of support from
parents and financial crisis has been reasons for parents not to send their children to
school and opt to stay at home and help them.
This becomes a violation to the rights of child because education should be given
to anyone regardless of the status of the family. Education is worthwhile and lifechanging and this should be something that parents should ponder for the sake of their
children’s hope and future. In my interview with some teachers, they said that the right
to education is one being violated to children especially nowadays in pandemic setting.
It seems that parents have become the one controlling the life of their children and the
one deciding whether to continue or send them to school or not. Moreover, there are
really parents who were not supportive and the one who cut off the dreams of their
child instead of reinforcing the abilities and skills of these children to become greater.
Furthermore, this is in contrast to provision 6 of Article 3 PD No. 603: The Child and
Youth Welfare Code states that, “every child has the right to an education
commensurate with his abilities and to the development of his skills for the improvement
of his capacity for service to himself and his fellowmen.”
c.
Another is their right to liberty because there are times wherein parents are
the one who make the decision what is known to be good for them even if it is against
the will of the child. Sometimes this kind of silent treatment often deprives the freedom
of the children to choose what they want in life. For an instance, a parent decides what
course in College should his child get even if it does not align to his passion or will just
because his parents say so. It somehow suffocates the child’s mind and behavior
resulting to some negative effect. Another is when a parent does not support a child’s
passion or something their child wants to expand their horizon in learning and socializing
and hinders or restrict them for attending to just because they do not have the budget
to finance them or parents have this kind of mindset that does not support one’s
progress at all. Consequently, it affects the growth of the child whenever things or
activities like that stop them to become better for themselves.
This is in connection to provision 12 of Article 3 PD No. 603: The Child and Youth
Welfare Code states that, “every child has the right to grow up as a free individual, in an
atmosphere of peace, understanding, tolerance, and universal brotherhood and with the
determination to contribute his share in the building of a better world.”
d.
We cannot deny the fact that there are children who are still denied of the right
amount of nutrition and hygiene care, take for example those living from far-flung areas
where accesses to medication and health care providers are insufficient. It has been
rights of a child to grow up strong and healthy but with social differences larger number
of malnourished kids are evident. The lacked of balanced diet and proper medical
attention can affect the overall character of an individual since it is a physical
requirement. As provision 4 of Article 3 PD No. 603: The Child and Youth Welfare Code
states that, “every child has the right to a balanced diet, adequate clothing, sufficient
shelter, proper medical attention, and all the basic physical requirements of a healthy
and vigorous life.”
e.
The rights to a wholesome family and of dignity and worth of a human
being have been apparent even up to this day since we can see a lot of street children
begging for money, food, and even shelter to survive for their daily needs.
Notwithstanding, the children being left in orphanages. These individuals should be
provided with the love and care of their parents and be given the right to live. There are
also families yet complete but it seems far from each other due to conflicts inside their
homes, constant fighting with parents, and more which resulted to psychological effect
to children such as anxiety, depression, to even more critical conditions.
f.
Discrimination is also one of the most violated rights against children. All of us
are born free and with equal dignity and rights that is relative to one another.
Discrimination to children varies from language, religion, gender, ethnic or social origin,
and disability. The right of child to freedom of association and peaceful assembly (Article
15:1) is somehow neglected. This form of social disadvantage is common to them as
they do not have the social power. Everywhere they are being discriminated and this is
something parents or teachers must teach students not to discriminate others because
of their differences instead to respect and love them as brothers and sisters. This act
should never be tolerated and sometimes it starts at home or the environment they lived
in, what they see they imitates.
2. To what extent has the school participated in child advocacy?
Child advocacy promotes the welfare and interests of the children. More so, if this kind of
platform is being adopted or promoted in schools, as school is the second home of children and
teachers as second parents. Advocacy in schools help both student and a teacher. Teachers can
provide necessary steps and actions that foster child’s common good.
Child advocacy in schools may take into different ways. In an interview that I conducted, a
teacher from DSSF told me that they have the Child Protection Policy – a program which aims
to flourish the rights and protection of the child. In addition, schools have reading center aside
from the school’s library that welcomes even those out of school youth to read books. This is a
wonderful program because it signifies an opportunity to help the community especially children
who are deprived of the privilege to go to school.
Other school’s also participated in Oplan Basa a program that promotes an opportunity for
children/students to know how to read. This kind of advocacy nurtures the capacity of children
in increasing the reading comprehension and understanding of each student. There are also
school programs that advocates clean and peaceful environment, well-facilitated classrooms to
provide conducive learning because if otherwise it is not recommendable or even advisable and
it projects negative reflection on the school’s management. Some schools also give seminars
just like gender and development, anti-bullying, safety drills, good hygiene programs, and more
that teaches young students about basic knowledge of their rights. These are of great
importance to school and to students because it is not only to learn new aspect and information
but also gives young individuals motivation of their right in the society.
During this time of pandemic, different and innovative programs were born in advocating
child’s welfare. There are some schools who offered food packages per student household to
aid hunger, the modular set-up was initiated to provide continued learning to students now that
face-to-face is put on hold, sponsorship for scholars, and even administered mobile laboratory
to reach out children who are not sent to school by their parents. Therefore, there are a lot of
ways that a school can participate into child’s advocacy because it is their duty and our duty to
value the dreams of every child. They are our future, thus, it is only fitting that they get the
best interest in the school.