BRUNEI Council on Social Welfare (MKM) officers recently attended the 2nd Asia Pacific Partnership Meeting of child rights coalition and networks, held in Bangkok, Thailand.
MKM officers Nur Judy binti Abdullah (Vice President I) and Zubaidah binti Dato Abu Zar (Head of Children Committee) represented Brunei Darussalam, while the rest of the participants were from the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Thailand, Vietnam, Australia, Japan, Hong Kong, Mongolia, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Taiwan.
Organised by the Child Rights Coalition (CRC) Asia and funded by Plan International and Save the Children, the meeting discussed a range of emerging child rights issues and situations related to violence against children that include child marriage, online child protection, juvenile justice, stateless and migrant children, physical and humiliating punishment, review of plan of action on elimination of violence against children (RPAEVAC) and child rights monitoring and reporting.
The sharing of country reports from the Asia-Pacific resulted in several resolutions on alliance building, capacity building, information sharing and advocacy.
Group photo of child rights coalitions and networks in the Asia Pacific region.
MKM officers Nur Judy binti Abdullah and Zubaidah binti Dato Abu Zar in Bangkok.
“Nowadays, the use of social media among children and young people can be beneficial since they gain access to unlimited information, but it likewise poses high risk as it opens opportunities for abusers to exploit them. This is a growing concern not only in Brunei, but in the Asia-Pacific region as well. The meeting shared good practices on the online protection advocacy which MKM can learn from and initiate programmes for children under the care of MKM,” Zubaidah shared.
“We also had the opportunity to learn and discuss the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) General Comment No 19 on Public Budgeting for the Realisation of Children’s Rights,” Nur Judy said.
“This is groundbreaking as it highlights the need to address the lack of sufficient and efficient investment in children. It emphasises that investment in children can yield positive economic returns through reduced social costs and result in the promotion and protection of children’s rights.
“In addition, the meeting also discussed the revised UNCRC Reporting Process, the progress of the implementation of UNCRC and its optional protocols.”
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