Children and Youth
Many of children and youth were moved to participate in the campaign against exploitation and abuse and to advocate for the rights of children, after attending community education sessions. They began by organizing their own activities until eventually; they started putting up their own organization.
The campaign #FREE: Fight for our Rights, End Exploitation is a child led campaign against trafficking. The title and design, are the children and youth groups’ own idea and their expression of commitment to fight for the human rights of children. This is step towards recognizing that children and the youth have the capacity and a key role to play in the campaign against child trafficking.
Among the PACT-Children/Youth groups are Bukidnon Youth Against Child Trafficking (BYACT), Cagayan de Oro Youth Against Child Trafficking, I Against Child Trafficking Movement (IACT), I Participate Against Child Trafficking (IPACT), Tanza Organization Against Child Trafficking (TO ACT) and the Davao-based ACT for Children. Other areas/NGO members of PACT have organized their own children/youth groups.
Encouraging the involvement especially of children is not an easy goal. It entails changing long held perceptions and practices of adults who interact with them.