Proteksiyon ng mga batang naiipit sa armed conflict

KASABAY ng pag-obserba ng International Humanita-rian Law Month ngayong Agosto, nanawagan si Senator Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada sa mga kapwa mambabatas na aprubahan ang kanyang Senate Bill 25 o panukalang “Special protection for children in situations of armed conflict (CSAC).”

Ang CSAC ay kinikilala sa mga pandaigdigang batas bilang “persons below 18 years old or those over but are unable to fully take care of themselves or protect themselves from abuse, neglect, cruelty, exploitation or discrimination because of physical or mental disability or condition… and who are involved in armed conflict, affected by armed conflict and/or internally displaced.”

Ayon kay Jinggoy, “kailangang tiyakin ang proteksiyon ng mga batang naiipit sa sagupaan ng mga rebelde at puwersa ng pamahalaan, o sa paglalaban ng mga secessionist, terrorist and ideological groups.

Base sa panukala, dapat ituring ang mga bata bilang Zones of Peace at kilalanin at igalang ang kanilang mga karapatan tulad ng: right of special respect and protection against any form of abuse, neglect, exploitation and violation; right to be treated as victims; to be considered as object of special respect; to be protected from recruitment into the governmental armed forces or armed groups and from participation in armed conflict; to be with their families especially with their mothers during evacuations and in evacuation centers; and… to be reunited with their families in case of separation due to armed conflict.”

Itinatakda ng panukala ang “rescue, rehabilitation and reintegration systems, including psychosocial support, health and nutrition, education, livelihood for families, legal services” at iba pang ayuda sa mga children in situations of armed conflict, gayundin ang mabigat na parusa sa mga lalabag sa kanilang mga karapatan.

Giit ni Jinggoy, dapat isulong ng pamahalaan at ng kabuuan ng lipunan ang maa-yos na buhay at kapaligiran para sa mga bata upang matulungan silang lumaking masaya, malusog, produktibo at responsableng mamamayan.