THE PHILIPPINES

COUNTRY CONTEXT

  • 7 million children are victims of sexual violence each year (CWR)
  • 98% of child sexual abuse victims are female (Child Protection Network, 2015)
  • 1.5 million children are left to themselves, living in the streets of Manila

AREAS OF INTERVENTION

KEY FIGURES

5730

beneficiaries in 2024

1989

we set up in the country

7

partners

4

projects in progress

OUR ACTIONS IN THE FIELD

Background information

In 2018, 16.7% of the population was living on less than $2 a day, compared with 21.6% in 2015 and 26.6% in 2006. Manila has more than 28.6 million inhabitants (2021), with over 4% annual population growth. This growth leads to huge problems: pollution and a lack of health, social, educational and public transport infrastructures, etc.

Additionally, many children, especially in urban areas, live in very precarious housing, and more than a million children live on the streets. They are victims of discrimination and are naturally more exposed to different forms of physical, moral and sexual violence: 18 cases of sexual abuse are reported every day, and around 3 out of 4 children experience corporal punishment.

* populationdata.net

Intervention objectives

Currently, Asmae provides financial and skilled support to our partners in 3 projects. We have multiple objectives in the fields of prevention and care for at-risk children, support through adolescence, support for children with disabilities, and the prevention of school drop-out and underperformance:

  • Improve children’s access to education by supporting programmes that favour schooling and education for different communities, e.g. children from the streets, from slums, with disabilities etc.
  • Focus on projects linked to children’s rights: fight against mistreatment and encourage the participation of youth in their communities;
  • Fight against gender-based violence against youth and the sexual exploitation of children.

OUR PROJECTS

Cap Jeunesse – Graced

Project start date: January 2021

Project duration: 3 years

Beneficiaries: School children

Partners: 

  • Gems Heart Outreach Development Incorporated.

Project:

The project, which is part of the Cap Jeunesse programme, helps fight gender-based violence against children. Child protection workers are trained by Asmae to integrate gender into their care work. The project also helps young people put a stop to gender-based violence in their schools, homes and communities. The young members of student associations are supported in carrying out collective awareness raising for the children in schools, communities and local authorities. A best practices guide on the benefits and challenges related to the prevention of gender-based violence is written up by the youth themselves, and is shared among professional child protection workers.

Financial partners:

The project is 60% funded by the French Development Agency. It is also financially supported by companies and foundations that are partners of Asmae’s work, as well as the generosity of our donors.

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Inclusive education for children with disabilities – CWD

Project start date: April 2020

Project duration: 18 months

Beneficiaries: children with disabilities and the members of their communities

Partner:

  • Las Piñas Persons with Disability, Inc.

Project:

The objective of the project is to increase the inclusion of non-schooled children into the education system. It involves preparing children with disabilities to transition towards formal education with the help of learning programmes based on community. Asmae also helps local actors to promote the rights and well-being of children with disabilities.

Financial partners: 

Groupe Paprec and Fondation Air Liquide.

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Children in the streets – Stage 2

Project start date: 2021

Project duration: 3 years

Beneficiaries: children living on the street and their communities

Partners:

  • Bahay Tuluyan (BT);
  • Kanlungan sa Erma Ministry (KSEM) ;
  • Child Hope Philippines (CHAP);
  • Clowns Without Borders.

Project:

This deals with phase 2 of the project which aims to fight against the social exclusion of children and families living in the streets, by allowing them better access to the public services and the recognition of their rights.

The objective is to give children access to quality alternative education while promoting going back to school. On a daily basis, professional social workers travel in minibuses equipped with educational materials and conduct various activities: after-school tutoring, hygiene awareness, etc.

The goal is also to promote children’s right to protection by increasing the capacities of young people and parents/guardians, civil society organisations and government agencies in their ability to prevent and manage cases and respond efficiently with suitable actions. The national and local authorities responsible for their protection are also involved so as to create inclusive policies in favour of children and families in the streets.

Financial partner:

French Development Agency.

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PEACE – Promoting children’s rights of the Sama Ba’jau ethnic group within the country

Project start date: January 2022

Project duration: 4 years

Beneficiaries: Children under the age of 17 and their parents, tribal chiefs, municipal agents, members of local NGOs and CSOs.

Project:

The project is being put into work in three geographic zones along the migratory route of members of the Sama Ba’jau community. The Sama Ba’jau ethnic people are being forced to leave their home island of Mindanao due to conflict and the development of mining projects in the area. Our project aims to run interventions for learning, education, child protection, and the empowerment of Sama Ba’jau children and women. It also aims to consolidate the capacities of tribal populations so as to recognise their status and rights, and advocate for them.

The goal is also to promote children’s rights to protection by increasing the capacities of young people and parents/guardians, civil society organisations and government agencies in their ability to prevent and manage cases and respond efficiently with suitable actions. The national and local authorities responsible for their protection are also involved so as to create inclusive policies in favour of children and families in the streets.

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