Background

The 2024 Situationer on Children published by UNICEF reminds us of a difficult truth: Filipino children continue to face barriers fulfilling their rights, particularly  in health, education, and protection. At the same time, new challenges such as mental health, online safety, and climate change place their future at even greater risk. Equally concerning is the fact that research and data on children often remain fragmented and incomplete. Without a clear, shared knowledge base, our policies and programs fall short. This is why the Philippine Children Research Network (PCRN) is being  established. PCRN is a collaborative platform that brings together scholars, researchers, policymakers, advocates, development workers, and children themselves to generate knowledge—and ensure that this knowledge leads to real solutions.

Our First Year Goals

In its inaugural year (September 2025 to August 2026), PCRN will:

1. Constitute the Steering Committee that will provide strategic direction, oversee PCRN’s activities, and ensure transparency and accountability in its operations
2. Develop a National Research Agenda on Children through consultations and validation workshops
3. Conduct training on research involving children
4. Launch research fellowships on Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) and child poverty, providing ₱200,000 in support for each fellow, and
5. Publish PSSC’s One Social Science Journal’s focusing on selected NSSC11 papers on children.

All of these initiatives are designed to put children’s voices at the center of evidence and action.

Join the Network

The Philippine Social Science Council, in partnership with UNICEF Philippines, invites you to become a member of the PCRN.

Membership is open to individuals and organizations interested in child rights research. This includes, but is not limited to, studies that address socio-economic development gaps and elevate the concerns of children within the country’s policy environment. The PCRN is not just about research. It is about transforming knowledge into better lives and brighter futures for children and young people in the Philippines.

Together, let us build a future where no child is left behind.