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The Philippines Case study: Deep-sea fishing, a hazardous form of labour Coordinated advocacy is needed to combat specific problems such as exploitative child labour in deep-sea fishing off the coast of Negros. Activities have included a public awareness campaign, which led to a television documentary on the problem of dangerous fishing practices. This in turn has prompted greater attention but no real change in practice, as families with political connections own the large fishing fleets. Deep-sea fishing is a recognised hazardous form of labour. The Environmental Legal Assistance Center (ELAC) is linked with the World Wildlife Fund, the Marine Alliance International and the International Labour Organization on this issue. A current case is underway involving two under-age boys who have been involved in this type of labour. World Vision has supported the boys in their preparation for the case through regular contact and linkage to legal representation. Cases like this can also bring into focus the wider issue of corporate responsibility of a commercial industry. Economic decisions can be child-friendly or child-blind. The dominant mode of work needs to be challenged when it is not in the interests of children. 9 This children’s drawing shows children diving under the boat to drive the fish towards the nets Photo: Laurence Gray Benji was 15 years old on 7 December 2000 when he went with friends to work on a fishing boat, sorting fish. This work, for which he was paid 3000 pesos (approximately US$60), was to last three months. His job involved catching fish in the water, from four o’clock in the morning until six at night. The Paaling and Muro-ami method used, according to ILO, is considered extremely hazardous to the health and lives of young children. Benji was using a hose with weights to drop on the coral, which made the fish swim in the direction of a pre-set net. The boys do this at a depth of approximately 60 metres. On 24 December, when the boat returned to port for supplies, Benji and several other boys left, not to return, because of the hardships they had endured. The boys sought help from World Vision and are now in the care of the Department of Social Welfare. Four of them have made official complaints to the Department resulting from their experience. World Vision and other concerned groups and agencies have been supporting Benji as he goes through the process and court hearing. The case has been rejected at the provincial level and will now go to the national level. Some boys have withdrawn their complaint, possibly due to threats or payment. Powerful families, whose influence is extensive, own the fishing fleets and commercial interests in this area. 9 Globalisation and Child Rights: What role for the private sector? Save the Children, 2002 63
The Philippines Barriers to child protection and participation • World Vision Development Foundation in the Philippines is involved in some exciting, innovative and effective work to promote the protection of children. Challenges remain, however, in the areas of documenting its impact and content, weighing its impact over time, extending good practice to other areas, gaining financial support for innovative work, and building capacity of local staff and counterparts. 10 • Traditional notions of the role of children in society mean that there is reluctance in some families to “listen” to their children, in the belief that this may result in a lack of respect for elders. This is consistent with views expressed in Sri Lanka and Cambodia. Activities that sensitise families to child participation may assist in this, as has been the case in those two countries. • Agencies need to be responsive to issues that emerge as affecting children in the community, which may warrant advocacy. However, conflicting priorities arise when this is not the main focus of their work. Linking with established networks helps, but increasing staff capacity and resources is the best way to ensure that staff do not take on excessive workloads, or place themselves at risk, out of commitment to tackling advocacy issues. • Instability and lack of peace and order in areas of the country can hinder activities and engender discouragement, apathy or intimidation. • Political will is needed to back policy change with practical implementation. Legislation and policy is a cornerstone for a comprehensive response to child protection, however without the resources or political will to implement it, it makes little difference to children. Inadequate resource allocation to stated priority areas gives a negative message about the authority’s actual commitment to children. Bohol province has the policy, which has been an exercise in political will. It is unclear if the necessary resourcing will follow. While this study’s coordinator was in Bohol, for example, a meeting with the Department of Labour revealed problems of under-resourced provincial government authorities, given the scope of their task. As a department, they lacked an estimated US$2000 to undertake a baseline survey to identify incidence of child labour in industry. Lack of a baseline makes it difficult to measure impact. Greater public awareness has been generated through information campaigns, however lack of resources means that cases of child abuse reported are not always being acted upon. 10 Muntarbhorn, V, 1997 64
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Risk Laurence Gray
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Copyright © 2003 by World Vision I
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contents Useful approaches to build
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executive summary responsibility of
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executive summary The Philippines I
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introduction “How is it possible
Page 13 and 14: introduction Child as a normative f
Page 15 and 16: introduction • offer opportunity
Page 17 and 18: introduction information may emerge
Page 19 and 20: introduction Current challenges of
Page 21 and 22: introduction Planning long-term for
Page 23 and 24: introduction Because we are abandon
Page 25 and 26: Cambodia or a medical emergency. Ho
Page 27 and 28: Cambodia This drawing by a child sc
Page 29 and 30: Cambodia near the garbage dump have
Page 31 and 32: Cambodia The Mith Samlanh/Friends v
Page 33 and 34: Cambodia Mith Samlanh/Friends vocat
Page 35 and 36: Cambodia To further understand how
Page 37 and 38: Cambodia Responses were gained thro
Page 39 and 40: Cambodia LICADHO uses a variety of
Page 41 and 42: Cambodia Families are taught to dis
Page 43 and 44: Cambodia The Law Enforcement Agains
Page 45 and 46: Cambodia 3. The project was based o
Page 47 and 48: Indonesia • The BPS also estimate
Page 49 and 50: Indonesia For Children’s Day in J
Page 51 and 52: Indonesia Useful approaches to buil
Page 53 and 54: Indonesia Child protection concerns
Page 55 and 56: Indonesia Children in the IDP camp,
Page 57 and 58: Indonesia building strategies can b
Page 59 and 60: The Philippines • children who ar
Page 61 and 62: The Philippines • conducting a ra
Page 63: The Philippines increase opportunit
Page 67 and 68: Sri Lanka Children affected by conf
Page 69 and 70: Sri Lanka Partnership for education
Page 71 and 72: Sri Lanka Children’s play showing
Page 73 and 74: Sri Lanka Impact of the project Som
Page 75 and 76: Sri Lanka “I spoke to a group of
Page 77 and 78: Vietnam Background Community-based
Page 79 and 80: Vietnam • At the community level,
Page 81 and 82: Vietnam “States Parties recognise
Page 83 and 84: Vietnam “Talk is cheap. Action is
Page 85 and 86: conclusion Agencies within civil so
Page 87 and 88: ecommendations universities. Advoca
Page 89 and 90: ecommendations • Emerging issues,
Page 91 and 92: acknowledgements Many individuals a
Page 93 and 94: ibliography Amnesty International,
Page 95 and 96: appendix 1 Online toolkit The follo
Page 97: appendix 3 Some principles of World
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