Awareness campaign on Children’s Rights for future political representatives of the Iloilo-Visayas province in the Philippines

CAMELEON decided to make the most of the 2016 national and local elections to raise the issue of Children’s Rights. Consequently, the association organised an awareness campaign for election candidates of the Iloilo province.

The 1042 election candidates, representing 42 municipalities in this province, were encouraged to include Children’s Rights on their political agenda .The campaigns officially started on the 25th of March. The rise of social media, especially Facebook, in the Philippines, encouraged CAMELEON to create a Facebook page on which different messages, directed to candidates as well as voters, were and still are posted each day.

On each of the following themes: malnutrition, playgrounds, overcrowded classes or internet games, candidates were asked this question; « What do you intend to do about this in your municipality?« . Voters are called upon with this question; “Ask your candidate what he/she intends to do concerning this issue in your municipality?” Drawings done by a young student illustrate each theme. The aim is to include these issues in the agenda of future candidates and help them implement these resolutions once elected.

In order to achieve this goal, all candidates were invited to an information session on the 22nd of March last year, during which a database, put together by CHAMELEON on numerous municipal and national resolutions, was presented to them. This database could serve as a guide to the candidates, upon election. Participants included: lawyers, mayors of municipalities, NGO representatives, amongst others? They all signed a document to attest their commitment to include children’s rights in their election programmes.

This campaign captured the attention of the future local authorities and emphasized political mobilization in favour of children’s rights.