The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) has urged the government to look into the release of children who are detained for low-level non-violent offenses and who are now infected with the dreaded corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
In a statement, the CHR said that “failure to address the needs of children deprived of liberty, or delayed implementation of coordinated responses, can increase suffering, cause irreparable damage, and compromise the health and safety of the whole community.”
Issued by its Spokesperson Jacqueline Ann de Guia, the CHR said its regional office will look into the plight of 49 youths who tested positive to COVID-19 at the Davao City Children’s Village or Bahay Pagasa, a temporary shelter in Tugbok District for children in conflict with the law (CICL).
De Guia, a lawyer, said the CHR has been pushing “for a stronger implementation of the Juvenile Justice Welfare Act in the country during normal and pandemic times, and demand genuine government compliance to international laws on protecting children’s rights and welfare.”
It stressed that “with the upcoming roll out of COVID-19 vaccines, we remind the government that everyone, especially those who are most vulnerable and at higher risk of infection like children in detention, should have equal access to vaccination.
It paid tribute to the “prompt action taken by the local authorities (in Davao City) to contain the outbreak (in the children’s village) and hope for the speedy and full recovery of the patients.”
“It is important to note that measures taken amid a health crisis should not undermine the fundamental rights of detained people, especially children, including their rights to adequate health care, food, water, and sanitation, while also upholding their right against ill-treatment,” it said.
It pointed out that “the risks posed by COVID-19 underline the need to dramatically reduce the number of children in institutions and detention facilities to protect not just the detainees but the health and safety of staff, visitors, and the wider society.”
Also, it stressed the need for juvenile justice agencies to “create more opportunities for families to connect via phone or video conference until restrictions on visitors are lifted to provide support to these children, especially those who are still recovering from the infection.”