0 SITUATION ANALYSIS Children in Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao FINAL DRAFT 1 Note on the Geographic Focus of the Report This Situation Analysis of Children in BARMM is a UNICEF contribution to knowledge on the situation of children in the Philippines. It follows the recent publication of the Government- UNICEF report on the national Situation Analysis of Children in the Philippines. The report was prepared by UNICEF in consultation with the Regional Government of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). While the data was collected under the Regional Government of ARMM during 2017, the analysis does not change significantly under the new BARMM geographic area and highlights significant multi-dimensional bottlenecks in the delivery of and access to key social services. The report shows that outcomes for children are significantly worse for children and highlights the need for additional and accelerated support within BARMM, if the Philippines is to reach the SDG targets. Rights and Permissions The material in this work is subject to copyright. UNICEF encourages dissemination of its information, data and analysis, this report may be reproduced, in whole or in part, for noncommercial purposes as long as full attribution to this work is given. Any queries on rights and licenses, including subsidiary rights, should be addressed to UNICEF Philippines, 14th Floor. North Tower Rockwell Business Centre Sheridan, United Street, Greenfields District, Mandalyuong City 1550, Philippines email: [email protected] Coram International @ Coram Children’s Legal Centre (CCLC) 2017 Commissioned by: UNICEF Philippines Cover Image: Shehzad Noorani/UNICEF Philippines 0 © United Nations Children’s Fund, Philippines. October 2017 This report was written by Professor Dame Carolyn Hamilton, Kirsten Anderson, Ruth Barnes, Maurice Dunaiski and Sarah Henderson, with the assistance of Mohammed Sesay. In-country data collection was carried out by Marjoly Tucpi and Kirsten Anderson, with the support of Abubakar A. Mustapha. The report was commissioned by UNICEF Philippines, which engaged Coram International, at Coram Children’s Legal Centre, to produce a Situation Analysis of Children in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). A separate Situation Analysis of Children in the Philippines was also produced. Coram International designed and implemented a methodology for producing the Situation Analysis, and carried out in-country data collection in the Philippines (Manila). UNICEF is an agency of the United Nations devoted to serving the world's children. UNICEF began providing assistance to the Philippines in November 1948. Since then, we and the Philippine government have been partners in protecting Filipino children. UNICEF Philippines has more than 60 people working to promote and protect the rights of children, who aim to provide the best quality of life for every Filipino child through programmes that help them survive and flourish. UNICEF Philippines implements programmes covering education, health and nutrition, disaster risk reduction and emergencies, HIV and AIDS prevention, child protection, communication, and local policy and institutional development. Coram Children’s Legal Centre is the UK's leading children's legal charity, committed to promoting children's rights in the UK and worldwide. Coram International works around the world in partnership with governments, UN bodies and (I)NGOs in over 40 countries, to promote the rights of children through the reform of law, policy and practice. For the past 20 years Coram International has conducted in-depth qualitative and quantitative research and published widely on topics related to children’s rights. The ARMM Situational Analysis was managed by UNICEF. An ARMM Situation Analysis Management Steering Committee, co-chaired by Govt. Philippines (ARMM Regional Governor’s Office) and UNICEF had oversight for the development of the SitAn. ARMM Management Steering Committee members were made up of government oversight and child focused agencies including the Regional Planning and Development Office (RPDO) ARMM; Department of Education -ARMM; Department of Health - ARMM; Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) ARMM; Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA); Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP). A Research Reference Group was formed made up of external technical experts and academics, who along with UNICEF Philippines staff, were consulted at key milestones in the development of the SitAn. Contents Acronyms ........................................................................................................................ vi 1. Introduction ................................................................................................................. 1 1.1. Purpose and scope ...................................................................................................... 1 1.2. Conceptual framework ................................................................................................ 1 1.3. Methods and limitations ............................................................................................. 5 1.4. Governance and validation ......................................................................................... 6 2. Context......................................................................................................................... 7 2.1. Geography, demographics and main disaster and climate risks ................................ 7 2.1.2. Main disasters and climate risks............................................................................ 18 2.2. Socio-economic context ............................................................................................ 19 2.2.1 Poverty ................................................................................................................... 22 2.2.2. Inequality ............................................................................................................... 30 2.2.3. Labour market and employment trends ............................................................... 32 2.3. Government and political context ........................................................................... 35 2.3.1. Administration ....................................................................................................... 36 2.3.2. The Judiciary .......................................................................................................... 38 2.3.3. Child participation in governance.......................................................................... 40 2.4. Legislative and policy framework and monitoring of child rights ............................. 42 2.4.1. Monitoring mechanisms ........................................................................................ 43 2.4.2. National Human Rights Institutions ...................................................................... 44 2.4.3. Application of Treaties ........................................................................................... 44 3. Cross-cutting issues impacting on children .................................................................. 46 3.1. Armed conflict ........................................................................................................... 46 3.1.1. The impact of the conflict on women and children .............................................. 55 3.2. Climate and disaster risks .......................................................................................... 57 3.2.1. Legislation and policy ........................................................................................... 62 3.2.2. Impact of climate change and disasters on families and children in ARMM ........ 64 3.2.3. Opportunities, Barriers and Bottlenecks ............................................................... 68 4. Health ........................................................................................................................ 78 4.1. National legal and policy framework ........................................................................ 79 4.2. ARMM legal and policy framework ........................................................................... 81 4.3. Child Mortality ........................................................................................................... 81 4.3.1. Neonatal mortality ................................................................................................ 82 4.3.2. Infant mortality ...................................................................................................... 82 i 4.3.3. Under-5 mortality .................................................................................................. 83 4.4. Communicable diseases and immunisation .............................................................. 84 4.4.1. Malaria ................................................................................................................... 84 4.4.2. Tuberculosis ........................................................................................................... 86 4.4.3. Immunization ......................................................................................................... 88 4.5. HIV/AIDS .................................................................................................................... 91 4.5.1. Status at a glance ..................................................................................................