ADHIKAIN PARA SA KARAPATANG PAMBATA (AKAP) Child Rights Desk

Adhikain para sa Karapatang Pambata (AKAP), the child rights desk of the AHRC, formed in 1993, is a pioneer in the legal promotion and protection of children’s rights in the country. In harmony with the Filipino term “akap”, which means “to embrace”, the AKAP desk embraces all children and advocates for the promotion and protection of their rights. It is one of the first law groups in the country to specialize in this area of human rights advocacy.

Since its inception, AKAP has been an active advocate of children’s rights by providing access to justice for children through its child rights framework: child-friendly institutions, research and publication, education and awareness, and policy and legislative advocacy.

Institutions are strengthened to provide mechanisms that uphold the best interest of the child, ensure promotion and protection of children’s rights, and make available child-appropriate intervention and support to children who are victims of abuse, exploitation, and discrimination.

  • Child Abuse Prevention and Intervention Network (CAPIN)
  • Child Rights and Business Principles (CRBP)
  • Commission on Human Rights (CHR) Child Rights Monitoring
  • Strengthening child participation in different venues
  • Enhancement of the ASEAN Children’s Forum Terms of Reference
  • Legal assistance and/or referral

Develop and publish resource materials as well as child-friendly materials on child rights issues and related topics.

  • Policy brief series on children’s rights amidst the COVID19 pandemic
  • ASEAN Responses to COVID19 Pandemic vis-à-vis Children’s Rights (WIP)
  • Policy paper on OSAEC
  • Situational Analysis of Business and Children’s
  • Rights in the Workplace:The Philippine Context
  • Child-friendly ASEAN
  • Juvenile Justice in ASEAN
  • Operational Guidelines and Rules of Procedure for Monitoring the Convention on the Rights of the Child

Conduct capacity building trainings, seminars, lectures, and paralegal training for children, young persons and adults to build knowledge, develop skills, and raise awareness in upholding the rights of the child.

  • Project Kumustahan online educational materials
  • CRBP Trainings
  • Child Rights Teaching and Learning with Kids (ChildTALK)
  • Children Teaching Adults about Participation (ChildTAP)
  • Certificate Course on Children’s Rights and related topics
  • Children’s rights trainings government agencies, non-government organizations, and business sector.
  • Awareness campaign within the law school community

Propose and advocate for legislative measures and policies that promote and protect the rights of the child.

  • Fight against Online Sexual Abuse and Exploitation of Children (OSAEC)
  • Increasing the Age of Sexual Consent
  • Oppose lowering of the minimum age of criminal responsibility
  • Positive Discipline
  • ASEAN child-friendly agenda
  • Child friendly communities

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