FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Asia ACTs December 2008:
Children Speak Out against Trafficking in Southeast Asia
Quezon City, Philippines-December 11, 2008- On the occasion of the Day Against
Trafficking on 12 December 2008,
Asia ACTs calls on campaign partners to encourage children and young people to
speak out and fight against child trafficking.
Asia ACTs is the regional campaign to fight child
trafficking with campaign partners in Cambodia, Vietnam, Lao PDR, Thailand,
Indonesia, Burma and Philippines. Asia ACTs appeals to States and civil society
in Southeast Asia to create the space for children to participate, aware that
when young people have the power to secure their own protection and build an
environment in which they can thrive, the whole society benefits.
Children are the best spokespersons in articulating
their concern for themselves and for other children. By listening to children,
policy makers and officials can learn a great deal about how they view
trafficking and what vulnerabilities must be addressed.
However, in order to participate in the fight against
the hideous crime of child trafficking, children need to be equipped with how
to protect themselves. If children are unaware of their right to be free from
abuse, or are not warned of dangers such as trafficking, they are more
vulnerable to exploitation. The participation of children starts with their
right to know about issues that affect their lives. Children must also be given
safe channels for participation and self-expression.
Thus, the month of December 2008 marks the beginning
of a year-long campaign to promote child participation in anti-trafficking
activities:
Burma ACT spearheads its campaign activities with the
participation of 3000 children with adults in Mae Sod, Thailand. Burma ACT is
an alliance with 15 member organizations based in refugee camps and migrant
communities along the border the Burma border with China and Thailand.
Vietnams activities from 7 to 22 December led by Ho
Chi Minh City Child Welfare Foundation will rally the participation of hundreds
of children in in HoChi Minh City, Da Nang and Thanh Hoa. Village Focus
International launches child-centered events in 3 districts of Vientiane and
Salavan Province, Lao PDR. Two districts in Salavan Province will hold separate
activities from 5 to 12 December in collaboration with Salavan Provincial
Education. On December 20, another commemorative event is scheduled in
Vientiane Capital City in collaboration with NGOs, UNIAP and Lao Youth Union.
Indonesia ACT member, SAMIN Foundation, will organize
National Childrens Forum in Jogjakarta on 21-23 December 2008. Some 1,350
children from all over Indonesia will attend to discuss and plan about
childrens
role in the anti-child trafficking campaign. Indonesia ACT works for the genuine
involvement of children in
decision-making processes. Philippines Against Child Trafficking (PACT), a
network of NGOs and individuals primarily from government agencies, will launch
activities in 45 areas all over the archipelago with the sub-theme: Children,
speak out! Help find and save the trafficked child.
Cambodia ACTs and Child Trafficking Watch
Thailand (CTWT) in Thailand will hold activities that bring old and young
together, giving children the space to lead and develop their own processes in
partnership with adults. Child Trafficking Watch Thailand (CTWT) is a network
of 25 NGOs working on children and women issues in Thailands Upper Northern
Region while Cambodia ACTs is an alliance of 11 NGOs in Cambodia.
December 12 marks the adoption of the UN
Protocol to Prevent, Punish Trafficking in Persons, especially Women and
Children, supplementing the UN Convention against Transnational Organized Crime
in Palermo, Italy. Since the start of the anniversary celebration in 2003,
December became a very special month of educational and commemorative
activities. However, 2008 is more significant because the celebration
jumpstarts the child participation effort of the campaign which will bear fruit
for many years ahead. Asia ACTs believes that the participation of children and
young people in their own protection and development is important for the fight
against child trafficking to succeed.
This regional campaign is primarily funded
by Terre des Hommes-Netherlands.
For more information, please contact:
Asia ACTs Secretariat
Contact Persons: Amihan V. Abueva,
Regional Coordinator
Nannette Matilac, Media and Information
Officer
Rm. 312, 3/F Philippine Social Science
Center, Commonwealth Avenue
Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines
Tel: (632) 9290822 Fax: (632) 9290820
Email: asiaa...@pldtdsl.net
Cambodia
Contact Person: Chea Pyden
Vulnerable Children Assistance
Organization (VCAO)
House No. 22, Street 118
Sangkat Phsar, Depo III, Khan Tuol Kok
Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Tel: (855-12) 876-422
Fax: (855-23) 884-722
Email: cambodia-a...@online.com.kh
Vietnam
Contact Person: Huynh Kiem Tien
Ho Chi Minh City Child Welfare Foundation
85/65 Pham Viet Chanh St.
Ward 19, Binh Thanh District
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Tel: (84-8) 840-1406
Fax: (84-8) 840-1407
Email: kiemtien...@yahoo.com
Lao PDR
Contact Person: Kongseng Sirivath
Village Focus International
PO Box 4697 Vientiane
Lao PDR
Telefax: (85621) 452080
Email:
kongs...@villagefocus.org
Burma
Contact person: Aung Myo Min
Human Rights Education Institute of Burma
G.P.O 485 Chiang Mai 50000, Thailand
Telefax: (66 53) 120422
Email: myo...@cscoms.com
Indonesia
Contact person: Emmy Lucy Smith
Indonesia ACTs
Jalan Kalibata Utara I No. 32
Kalibata, Jakarta Selatan
Telefax: (62) 21 799 7036
Email: ind_a...@yahoo.com
Website: www.Indonesia-ACTs.com
Thailand
Contact person: Juthamas Rajchaprasit
Child Trafficking Watch Thailand
25/6 Tonkam Road 2 Thasara Muang
Chiangmai 50000, Thailand
Telefax Number: (662) 053-248689
Email: ctwt_tf...@hotmail.com
Website: www.hugla-on.com
Philippines
Contact Person: Marcelina Carpizo
Philippines Against Child Trafficking
(PACT)
Rm. 316, 3/F Philippine Social Science
Center
Diliman, Quezon City
Tel: (632) 929-03-47
E-mail: philippinecampa...@gmail.com
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