DSWD Sec raises human trafficking concern in Pablo-torn areas

By Jeanevive D. Abangan

Tuesday 11th of December 2012

DAVAO CITY, Dec. 11 (PIA) -- Social Welfare Sec. Corazon "Dinky" Soliman Sunday raised concern over abuse and trafficking that may happen to women and children displaced due to Typhoon Pablo.

In her meeting yesterday with representatives and officials of international humanitarian agencies, she cited such as part of gender-based concern to be taken account to prevent women and children from migrating and eventually ending up as victims of traffickers.

"We'll have an information campaign on this, so they will not automatically migrate to some promise of a better life," she said.

"We are having apprehensions that trafficking will increase; we should make sure that people are informed. We assure them that there is going to be a better way," she added referring to vulnerable women and children who have been left alone having lost their family members due to typhoon Pablo.

Other protection issues that came out during the meeting was the need for lighting at campsites and evacuation centers in towns still in the dark due to damaged power lines.

Meanwhile, Josephine L. Quianzon of the Davao Medical School Foundation (DMSF), in the same meeting pointed out that water-sanitation-hygiene assistance should also be given attention because evacuation centers were found littered with plastic bottles.

Providing open spaces for children and women was also one of the concerns identified during Soliman’s meeting with humanitarian groups among which were the International Labor Organizations (ILO), Handicap International, World Food Programme, Plan International, Lutheran World Relief, World Vision, International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Save the Children, Action Against Hunger/ACF International, International Organizations for Migrants.

Present were United Nations humanitarian organizations dealing on child protection were UNICEF, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), and United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).

DSWD is the lead agency of the Child Protection Working Group that works in coordination with the Camp/IDP Management, Emergency Shelter, Protection Cluster that DSWD is also taking the lead “to address the impacts of emergencies (both human induced and natural disasters) in the Philippines on child protection.” (RGA/JMDA-PIA 11)