AHRC partners with Mandaluyong LGU for its ChildTALK program

The Ateneo Human Rights Center (AHRC), through its child rights desk, Adhikain Para sa Karapatang Pambata (AKAP) inked a partnership with the city government of Mandaluyong for its Children Teaching and Learning with Kids (ChildTALK) program on 16 August at the Mandaluyong City Hall.

Present during the ceremonial signing of the memorandum of agreement were: Ateneo Law School Dean, Atty Jose Maria Hofileña; AHRC Executive Director, Atty Ray Paolo Santiago; AHRC AKAP Director, Claire Laison; Mandaluyong City Mayor Benjamin Abalos; Mandaluyong PIO Head, Marvin Capco; Local Council for the Protection of Children (LCPC) Executive Director, Leo Urmenta; LCPC District 2 Coordinator and City Planning Development Office Assistant Head, Engr Vermelita Simbulan; City Legal Department Head, Atty Jerusha Villanueva; and LCPC District 1 Coordinator and Persons with Disabilities Affairs Division Chief, Wennah Marquez.

The ChildTALK program, which was initially established by AHRC in 2012, aims to empower and equip children with basic knowledge on existing and new child protection laws and how to protect themselves through existing legal mechanisms. This year, with the support of the European Union, through its Justice Sector Reform Programme: Governance in Justice (GOJUST), and in partnership with the Mandaluyong City LGU, AHRC revived and enhanced the program to make it more responsive to the needs of children especially in terms of protection and understanding of their rights.

ChildTALK will train children with basic child rights concepts so they can empower, educate and train other kids in their respective communities. Children from economically disadvantaged communities are selected to attend module training sessions that will help them understand their rights, learn how to protect them, and develop skills and teaching tools for teaching other kids about children’s rights.

Additionally, the program provides a non-intimidating and child-friendly avenue for children to learn together with their peers. ChildTALK graduates become child-friendly trainers and facilitators who can lead learning sessions and activities for children.

The City government of Mandaluyong plays a very significant role in the realization of the program’s goals and objectives. ChildTALK 2023 participants are child and youth representatives of different barangays in Mandaluyong City through the partnership with the Local Council for the Protection of Children (LCPC) and the office of the Mayor of Mandaluyong City. Training sessions will tackle issues highlighted in previous children’s consultations, such as online sexual abuse and exploitation of children (OSAEC); cyberbullying; adolescent dating and pregnancy; sexual orientation and gender identity and expression (SOGIE) issues; and mental health.

The Basic Orientation Seminar (BOS) is set to take place from 23 to 25 August 2023 where 10 pre-determined child facilitators from the Unang Hakbang Foundation will be facilitating the modules before our child participants from various barangays in Mandaluyong City. After the BOS, child participants are expected to bring their learnings to their own communities by facilitating the modules they have learned from BOS to the children in their communities.