UNICEF, NTC, telecom sector collaborate to prevent exploitation amid lockdown

The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) have partnered with the telecommunications sector to protect families from exploitation and abuse.

Upon UNICEF’s request, the NTC extended its support in spreading information to help parents and kids manage their situation amid the financial impact of the enhanced community quarantine.

The telecommunications sector is tasked to disseminate text blasts encouraging subscribers to visit unicef.ph and saferkidsph.org for information and tips on how to handle the impact of COVID-19.

According to the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), the text blast will start on Wednesday, April 15.

“In a letter to NTC, UNICEF said the Covid-19 crisis and the enhanced community quarantine left people relying on the Internet for information and entertainment,” the DICT said in a statement.

“More importantly, it left many families suffering from the economic strain due to the slowdown of industry and labor,” it added.

The NTC is an attached agency of the DICT.

UNICEF Philippines’ official website unicef.ph contains various programs, research and reports on issues affecting Filipino children, stories of beneficiaries, as well as volunteer opportunities.

“At present, the website also include latest updates and news on Covid-19, UNICEF’s initiatives on helping children affected by the Covid-19 crisis, as well as advice for parents and families on coping with the current situation,’ DICT said.

SaferkidsPH is an initiative of UNICEF, the Australian Embassy, Save the Children, and The Asia Foundation to prevent online sexual abuse and exploitation of children in the Philippines.

Recently, the International Justice Mission in the Philippines said the Europol, the UK’s National Crime Agency, the Swedish Police Authority and others observed increase in livestreams of child sex abuse.

Reports of online child sexual exploitation have increased since the COVID-19 lockdowns.

According to the nongovernment organization, traffickers in the Philippines have been live streaming on-demand videos to child sex offenders particularly those in Western countries. — Joviland Rita/BM, GMA News