I AM SAM FOUNDATION and Rayla Melchor Santos on Child Protection

in the Philippines

Despite the existence of various child protection laws, children in the Philippines are
considered as one of the poorest among the basic sectors according to the research study by
the international organization, Save the Children. They have been the subjects of human
rights violation and continue to experience the same fate, a dispossession of human rights,
as well as of their basic entitlements as children. Some of the basic rights not provided to
these impoverished children are clean water, food and access to basic education. Water,
food and education are basic entitlements of children for survival and development.

As a contribution to the saddening plight of the children, I AM SAM Foundations flagship
program, the I AM SAM PEP (Prevent-to-Empower Protocol), provides structured education
for the teachers and children in the public school of their basic human rights and
entitlements as children as a solution.

Rayla Melchor Santos, co-founder of the I AM SAM Foundation, explains in clear terms how
teaching children their rights can be most beneficial, in an article she wrote entitled Why
Advocacy? Why Rights of the Child? We quote:

Because as advocates of rights of the child, heartened by UNICEF UK, children must know
that: they have rights, should be informed about their rights, should be helped to exercise
their rights, should be able to enforce their rights and should be a community of interest to
advocate young peoples rights. Because, according to the UNICEF UK initiative for UK
schools called the Rights Respecting School Award (RRSA), both schools and children have
benefitted from the teaching and learning of childrens rights. Evidence gathered suggests
that when the values of the UNCRC serve as the underlying foundation and curriculum of a
school, they have a significant, positive impact on important aspects of the childs well-being
as well as an improvement in the school(s) positively effecting the relationships, teaching
approaches, attitudes and behavior of everyone involved. (UNICEF 2010) Everyone
involved, children, parents and teachers have reported: improved pupil self-esteem, pupils
enhanced moral development, improved behavior and relationships (reductions in bullying,
exclusions and improved attendance), more positive attitudes towards diversity in society
and the reduction of prejudice, pupils development as global citizens, overall school
improvement (including learning environment and academic standards), enhanced job
satisfaction for teachers.

Rayla Melchor Santos emphasizes: Because teaching children and young people about their
rights, inspirited by UNICEF UK, means that they can find out about the legal and human
rights and responsibilities that underpin society, making the Convention an excellent starting
point for understanding global citizenship.

[Not only for the obvious understanding of and lesson on global citizenship,] Because the
lessons from the Convention on the Rights of the Child abound: explicitly and implicitly.
Lessons on human dignity and liberty, survival and development. Lessons on identity and
nationality. Lessons on values and virtues; on responsibility, compassion, empathy, care and
protection, cooperation, respect, love, among others. Lessons on life its basic attributes, of
human life, in particular sentience, awareness, mobility, will, autonomy and growth (Peck,
1988). More lessons on life its realities, the existence of mental and physical disability,
discrimination, abuse, neglect or negligent treatment, maltreatment, deprivation, torture,
exploitation, mental and physical violence, armed conflicts, war, hunger, poverty, pain,
abuse. Lessons on roles, relationships, equality, gender equality. Lessons on faith and faiths.
governments and governance, citizenship, community. Lessons on care, protection and relief
justice. Lessons on health and health services, disease and mortality. Lessons on the
respect and care for the environment. Lessons on education. Lessons on balance and
wholeness, leisure, recreation and cultural activities. Lessons on expression and the freedom
of expression. Etc, etc.

Rayla Melchor Santos concludes: Teaching children their human rights and entitlements as
children IS Children Protection, Empowerment and Participation. It engages children to take
full responsibility of their own evolution and become Shakers And Movers who make things
happen for themselves and others!

Sources:
Why Advocacy? Why Rights of the Child? Rayla Melchor Santos
Child Protection in the Philippines.pdf
I AM SAM Educators Guide