“Every Child Counts: Driving Change through Data, Evidence, and Knowledge”
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Baguio City, Philippines – During the 11th National Congress in Baguio City, UNICEF Philippines Chief of Planning, Monitoring and Evidence and Data (PMED) Mr. Xavier Foulquier urged fellow researcher-advocates to deepen their commitment to evidence-based action for the Filipino children.
In his keynote titled, “Every Child Counts: Driving Change through Data, Evidence, and Knowledge”, Mr. Foulquier magnified the vulnerability of Filipino children across six key dimensions—survival strategies, access to education and learning, child protection, safety and sustainability of the environment, equitable life opportunities, and civil participation rights. He emphasized the need for research and interventions that collectively address, reflect, and cater to the realities experienced by Filipino children.
By the numbers: data exposes deep inequalities among Filipino children
Drawing from the situation analysis of children, Mr. Foulquier presented a grim picture of child welfare in the country:
- Children make up about 36.5% of the country’s total population, yet remain invisible in policies and programs, especially in education, health, and social protection.
- Disabilities, infant and neonatal mortalities, non-vaccinations, suicidal tendencies, malnutrition, and dietary deficiencies persist as health and nutrition risks to Filipino children.
- Significant gaps also plague early childhood development, as enrollment rates either decline or continue to be lower than pre-pandemic rates; and the quality of education suffers based on recent results from the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) and Southeast Asia Primary Learning Metrics (SEA-PLM), revealing that Filipino students have lower than average proficiency levels in literacy, reading, and mathematics.
- Child abuse among ages 1 to 19 remains a critical concern, with many subjected to violent disciplines, sexual violence, child marriages, and child labor. Online platforms drive most exploitation and sexual abuse, targeting 20% of internet-using children and adolescents, but violence can also happen at home or in school.
- The Philippines ranks 31st out of 163 countries on the Children’s Climate Risk Index (CCRI), heightening the risks children face against environmental hazards and natural disasters. Over half of the water in the country is also deemed unsafe to drink, putting children at greater risk. Schools nationwide have limited capacity to administer sanitation and hygiene practices, with less than 60% having supervised handwashing and basic sanitation services.
- While child poverty has decreased overall, regions like the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) have seen significant improvements, yet they remain among the poorest, second to Negros Islands Region in 2023. Despite the progress, public spending on social services still falls short of global benchmarks.
What’s holding back child development? Key bottlenecks identified
Unpacking the above data, Mr. Foulquier determined key barriers to child development in the Philippines. Weak alignment of data with policies, fragmented systems, and limited access to resources and services all emerge as the most frequent denominators hindering progress. Quality of services, especially at a decentralized level, is also a problem. Moreover, inequity and exclusion cut across all dimensions, disproportionately adding to the struggle of the already-vulnerable population of children, especially those from poor families, hazard-prone areas, or with disabilities.
Communities as solution
Mr. Foulquier concluded by underscoring the significance of communities and organizations in leveraging local, on-ground solutions. By recognizing children as their own people with their own rights, research can be geared towards a more child-centered approach, ensuring that data gathered are translated into meaningful policies and systems in the Philippines, for every Filipino child.
“We continuously gather data and evidence to better understand the situation of children, and we do that through partnership with PSSC and government institutions. We want to ensure that national policies and programming prioritize children rights and they are grounded in the reality faced by children. Children shouldn’t be the subject of research only, they are right holders whose voice, dignity, age must be respected.”
Missed the speech? Watch the replay here:
Baguio City, Philippines – During the 11th National Congress in Baguio City, UNICEF Philippines Chief of Planning, Monitoring and Evidence and Data (PMED) Mr. Xavier Foulquier urged fellow researcher-advocates to deepen their commitment to evidence-based action for the Filipino children.
In his keynote titled, “Every Child Counts: Driving Change through Data, Evidence, and Knowledge”, Mr. Foulquier magnified the vulnerability of Filipino children across six key dimensions—survival strategies, access to education and learning, child protection, safety and sustainability of the environment, equitable life opportunities, and civil participation rights. He emphasized the need for research and interventions that collectively address, reflect, and cater to the realities experienced by Filipino children.
By the numbers: data exposes deep inequalities among Filipino children
Drawing from the situation analysis of children, Mr. Foulquier presented a grim picture of child welfare in the country:
- Children make up about 36.5% of the country’s total population, yet remain invisible in policies and programs, especially in education, health, and social protection.
- Disabilities, infant and neonatal mortalities, non-vaccinations, suicidal tendencies, malnutrition, and dietary deficiencies persist as health and nutrition risks to Filipino children.
- Significant gaps also plague early childhood development, as enrollment rates either decline or continue to be lower than pre-pandemic rates; and the quality of education suffers based on recent results from the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) and Southeast Asia Primary Learning Metrics (SEA-PLM), revealing that Filipino students have lower than average proficiency levels in literacy, reading, and mathematics.
- Child abuse among ages 1 to 19 remains a critical concern, with many subjected to violent disciplines, sexual violence, child marriages, and child labor. Online platforms drive most exploitation and sexual abuse, targeting 20% of internet-using children and adolescents, but violence can also happen at home or in school.
- The Philippines ranks 31st out of 163 countries on the Children’s Climate Risk Index (CCRI), heightening the risks children face against environmental hazards and natural disasters. Over half of the water in the country is also deemed unsafe to drink, putting children at greater risk. Schools nationwide have limited capacity to administer sanitation and hygiene practices, with less than 60% having supervised handwashing and basic sanitation services.
- While child poverty has decreased overall, regions like the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) have seen significant improvements, yet they remain among the poorest, second to Negros Islands Region in 2023. Despite the progress, public spending on social services still falls short of global benchmarks.
What’s holding back child development? Key bottlenecks identified
Unpacking the above data, Mr. Foulquier determined key barriers to child development in the Philippines. Weak alignment of data with policies, fragmented systems, and limited access to resources and services all emerge as the most frequent denominators hindering progress. Quality of services, especially at a decentralized level, is also a problem. Moreover, inequity and exclusion cut across all dimensions, disproportionately adding to the struggle of the already-vulnerable population of children, especially those from poor families, hazard-prone areas, or with disabilities.
Communities as solution
Mr. Foulquier concluded by underscoring the significance of communities and organizations in leveraging local, on-ground solutions. By recognizing children as their own people with their own rights, research can be geared towards a more child-centered approach, ensuring that data gathered are translated into meaningful policies and systems in the Philippines, for every Filipino child.
“We continuously gather data and evidence to better understand the situation of children, and we do that through partnership with PSSC and government institutions. We want to ensure that national policies and programming prioritize children rights and they are grounded in the reality faced by children. Children shouldn’t be the subject of research only, they are right holders whose voice, dignity, age must be respected.”
Missed the speech? Watch the replay here:
Baguio City, Philippines – During the 11th National Congress in Baguio City, UNICEF Philippines Chief of Planning, Monitoring and Evidence and Data (PMED) Mr. Xavier Foulquier urged fellow researcher-advocates to deepen their commitment to evidence-based action for the Filipino children.
In his keynote titled, “Every Child Counts: Driving Change through Data, Evidence, and Knowledge”, Mr. Foulquier magnified the vulnerability of Filipino children across six key dimensions—survival strategies, access to education and learning, child protection, safety and sustainability of the environment, equitable life opportunities, and civil participation rights. He emphasized the need for research and interventions that collectively address, reflect, and cater to the realities experienced by Filipino children.
By the numbers: data exposes deep inequalities among Filipino children
Drawing from the situation analysis of children, Mr. Foulquier presented a grim picture of child welfare in the country:
- Children make up about 36.5% of the country’s total population, yet remain invisible in policies and programs, especially in education, health, and social protection.
- Disabilities, infant and neonatal mortalities, non-vaccinations, suicidal tendencies, malnutrition, and dietary deficiencies persist as health and nutrition risks to Filipino children.
- Significant gaps also plague early childhood development, as enrollment rates either decline or continue to be lower than pre-pandemic rates; and the quality of education suffers based on recent results from the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) and Southeast Asia Primary Learning Metrics (SEA-PLM), revealing that Filipino students have lower than average proficiency levels in literacy, reading, and mathematics.
- Child abuse among ages 1 to 19 remains a critical concern, with many subjected to violent disciplines, sexual violence, child marriages, and child labor. Online platforms drive most exploitation and sexual abuse, targeting 20% of internet-using children and adolescents, but violence can also happen at home or in school.
- The Philippines ranks 31st out of 163 countries on the Children’s Climate Risk Index (CCRI), heightening the risks children face against environmental hazards and natural disasters. Over half of the water in the country is also deemed unsafe to drink, putting children at greater risk. Schools nationwide have limited capacity to administer sanitation and hygiene practices, with less than 60% having supervised handwashing and basic sanitation services.
- While child poverty has decreased overall, regions like the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) have seen significant improvements, yet they remain among the poorest, second to Negros Islands Region in 2023. Despite the progress, public spending on social services still falls short of global benchmarks.
What’s holding back child development? Key bottlenecks identified
Unpacking the above data, Mr. Foulquier determined key barriers to child development in the Philippines. Weak alignment of data with policies, fragmented systems, and limited access to resources and services all emerge as the most frequent denominators hindering progress. Quality of services, especially at a decentralized level, is also a problem. Moreover, inequity and exclusion cut across all dimensions, disproportionately adding to the struggle of the already-vulnerable population of children, especially those from poor families, hazard-prone areas, or with disabilities.
Communities as solution
Mr. Foulquier concluded by underscoring the significance of communities and organizations in leveraging local, on-ground solutions. By recognizing children as their own people with their own rights, research can be geared towards a more child-centered approach, ensuring that data gathered are translated into meaningful policies and systems in the Philippines, for every Filipino child.
“We continuously gather data and evidence to better understand the situation of children, and we do that through partnership with PSSC and government institutions. We want to ensure that national policies and programming prioritize children rights and they are grounded in the reality faced by children. Children shouldn’t be the subject of research only, they are right holders whose voice, dignity, age must be respected.”
Missed the speech? Watch the replay here:
