Kuala Lumpur (VNA) - ASEAN must place children at the centre of policymaking and step up joint efforts to eliminate all forms of violence against them, including growing threats in cyberspace, Malaysian Minister of Women, Family and Community Development Nancy Shukri said in her opening speech at the ninth ASEAN Children’s Forum from August 4-5.
Citing data from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), she said the Asia-Pacific is home to around 1.12 billion children, the largest in the world. ASEAN alone records around 200 million people aged below 18, or nearly 30% of its population.
Yet many children across the region continue to face abuse, neglect and exploitation, Shukri noted. Violence against children is no longer confined to physical harm but has spilled into cyberspace through cyberbullying, online exploitation and other digital abuses, severely damaging children’s confidence, dignity and mental well-being.
This year’s forum theme, “Shielding ASEAN Childhood: Say No to Violence”, is a collective call to action to ensure every child grows up in a safe, nurturing and empowering environment where their rights are protected, their voices are heard and their full potential can flourish, she said.
According to her, ASEAN has demonstrated solidarity through the regional plan of action to eliminate violence against children. Member states are shifting from response to proactive prevention, reinforcing victim support system and fine-tuning policies to put children at the centre of development agendas.
The ASEAN Secretariat and UNICEF said the forum brings together child representatives from ASEAN member states to discuss issues affecting children and craft recommendations for policymakers./.
