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.

Child-Friendly Institutions

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

Research and Publication

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

Education and Awareness

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

Policy and Legislative Advocacy

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

Latest from the Program

AHRC, UNICEF meet with Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation for Child Rights and Business Principles project

Key officials and senior management staff from collaborating parties MPTC, UNICEF, and Ateneo Human Rights Center pose for a photo opportunity to show their strong commitment to pushing forward Child Rights and Business Principles (CRBP) initiatives. Makati City, May...

300 plus children, child rights advocates attend ‘Walk for Clean Election’ in UP Diliman

Quezon City, April 30, 2022 — More than 300 children and child rights advocates gathered in the University of the Philippines Diliman grounds on Saturday, April 30, to call for a clean and fair election. The “Lakad para sa Malinis na Halalan, Agenda ng mga Batang...

The Kick-start of BATA MUNA 2022

MANILA, Philippines — Bata Muna is a non-partisan network of civil society organizations and government agencies supporting electoral advocacy for children. This movement began in 2013 in congruence with the Philippine Elections and relaunch again for...