Unicef expresses alarm over child porn in Philippines

By TJ Burgonio and Martin Marfil
August 4, 2004

The United Nations Children's Fund (Unicef) Tuesday expressed alarm over the growing incidence of child pornography in the Philippines and appealed to the mass media to stop the "sexualization" of children. "The United Nations Children's Fund is outraged that children in the Philippines are being used in pornography. Child pornography is a gross violation of children's rights," said Dr. Nicholas Alipui, the Unicef country representative in Manila.

The Unicef commissioned a study on child pornography to determine the extent of the problem.

"Results so far show that child pornography in the Philippines is more widespread than previously thought," the UN agency said in a statement.

Alipui noted that the case of the 70 children, aged 5 to 12, who were rescued from a pornography ring in Laguna province early last month showed the seriousness of the problem.

Unicef said that widespread poverty and tolerance of prostitution were just some of the factors that contribute to the proliferation of child pornography in the Philippines.

Other factors include the country's sex tourism, the availability of advanced communication technology, lack of stringent laws against child pornography and inefficient prosecution of perpetrators.

The study said that the opportunity to distribute and propagate pornographic materials are "boundless" as technological advances have made it possible for pornographers to produce and disseminate pornographic images of children.

"Internet pornographic sites and chat rooms, digital cameras and cellular phones have facilitated the production and distribution of pornographic images," the Unicef report said.

Alipui also urged the media to stop "the sexualization and eroticization" of children.

"Any form of child pornography is simply not acceptable. We must all work together to put a stop to it," he said.

The Unicef report said that the 70 children who were rescued were just a "minority" of the victims as "many other children victimized in pornography are never rescued."

Alipui reminded Philippine authorities of their obligations under international and national laws to protect children from all forms of sexual exploitation and abuse.

Alipui cited the laws, like the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which seek to protect children from being forced to engage in any unlawful sexual activity, prostitution and any pornographic performance.

There's also the "Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the Sale of Children, Child Prostitution and Child Pornography," which calls on governments to ensure that adults involved in child exploitation are punished, he said.

The Philippines ratified the latter convention in 2002.

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