Working Children in Source Communities
THE CHALLENGE. Despite the dramatic economic performance ang strong legal framework on child protection developed in the Philippines, the rural-urban migration of children in search for work continues unabated as solid proof that development for the poor majority remains unreal.
Inequitable land distribution, unfair trade practices, unbalanced regional growth, inaccessibility of education, lack of basic social services, gender inequality, environmental degradation, armed conflicts, the parade of natural disasters, and deep-rooted cultural practices - continue to be the engines of Diaspora that prematurely draw off thousands of children into the world of work.
In 1995, the government estimated that there are more than 3.6 million Filipino child laborers. Of that, 409,809 kids are working away from home. The Visayan Forum Foundation, Inc. (VF) believes that there could be more, considering their scatteredness and invisibility.
Because most of these children are vulnerable, having not reached an age when they are in a position to make informed choices about their lives, VF developed strategies to reach out, empower, and work in partnership with these children and their families.
In the long term, the continuing challenge is to address both the root causes and symptomatic effects of migration forced upon children, their families, and their communities.
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