Sub-National Internet Cafe Owners Conference Against Child Pornography
This was the certificate I got during the national Conference...
NOTE: I have edited this blog to satisfy my readers...LOL, actually, when I first entered the information below, I never really included my own thoughts and feelings. When my friend Blanch read this, and when I asked her what I should improve, she told me to write my thoughts and feelings...so, here it is blanchie, I edited this blog to include my thoughts and feelings---enjoy reading my friend...
Last Saturday I attended the long awaited Sub-national Conference for Internet Cafe Owners and Operators on Anti-pornography. It was also during the conference that the Code of Conduct of Internet Cafe Owners and Operators in the Philippines was signed by all the participants, in the hope that pornography can be minimized/stopped in the internet media.
ECPAT, together with UNICEF and Everything Online made the conference possible. Actually, Erwin Aranas and I, being franchisees of Everything Online Inc., have already participated in the National Conference held in Manila Last December 2007. But our being there was not about joining the conference because we wanted to end pornography. We were not even curious of what ECPAT's and UNICEF's aims were. We were simply there because, as business owners, we wanted to protect our investments and demand from Everything Online Inc. what they were not able to deliver to franchisees in Cagayan de Oro and Misamis Oriental who, like my father(it's actually my dad's investment)paid them in cash prior to the signing of contracts, yet got nothing out of the agreement,that in itself is a different story, which I will blog about real soon. Anyway, it was a two day conference, the first day being that of ECPAT and the second, that of Everything Online concerns. What I liked about the national conference is that during the signing of the code of conduct, we had the ceremonial candle lighting ceremony which Erwin and I have done up on the stage, being leaders of our groups (we were divided into groups during the workshops), unfortunately I do not have pictures to show because my camera went dead and nobody from each of our groups returned the favor of sending their copies of pics taken, to us...however, a picture of the cadlelighting ceremony can be found in the EOL website, ( http://www.everythingonline.ph )
After the candle lighting ceremony, my group and I and the friends I met during the conference had a different topic. It was as if at that very moment we forgot why we came to the conference. For that moment, we stopped being angry and simply listened to what our hearts were telling us--- that being internet cafe owners and operators, we have a mission to protect not only our own kids but the ones who we come across in our very businesses. Much more so, the families who have allowed their children to come to us for our services. And from this sprung our commitment to be one with ECPAT and UNICEF, to protect the children, women and families, because with the onset of technology, there also lies the crime that many have not figured out to be serious and utterly life destructive.
Below is the concept paper for the ECPAT's program for a better understanding.
Concept Paper
Project Title : Sub-National Internet Cafe Owners Conference Against Child Pornography
(Luzon/NCR, Visayas , Mindanao)
Target Dates : July 26, 2008 (Mindanao) August 16, 2008 (Visayas) August 30, 2008 (Luzon/NCR)
Introduction:
ECPAT Philippines was founded in 1991. It is part of a network of international child-focused agencies working for the elimination of child prostitution, child pornography and trafficking of children widely known to be the three forms of CSEC or commercial sexual exploitation of children. ECPAT groups worldwide, including ECPAT Philippines, seek to encourage the world community to ensure that children everywhere enjoy their fundamental rights free and secure from all forms of abuse and sexual exploitation.
One of our goals is to continue improve the level of knowledge and understanding of the public regarding CSEC in general and child pornography in particular and generate interest on such issues so that the public is able to actively participate in the movement to combat it.
Background:
Modern communications technology or ICT has no doubt facilitated the easier exchange of communication among peoples around the world while invigorating economies worldwide as well, among others. But ICT too has spawned a new sense of urgency through the growth of online networks where pimps and other child abusers lurk in cyberspace to victimize innocent children. Like child prostitution and trafficking of children for sexual purposes, in child pornography, children are treated as sexual and commercial objects. This is a clear violation of a child’s right as embodied in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. These abusers are known to advertise or expose children to harmful contents online such as pornographic materials or lure them into the sex trade.
Filipino Internet Users
In 2005, there were at least 19.2 million Filipino Internet Users (FIUs). Public access Internet cafes (Icafes) contribute to the increase in the numbers of FIUs. It is a known fact that children and young people are the greatest users of modern technology and this puts them in possible harm or risk when online.
Child Pornography and the Make -IT -Safe campaign
The Make Information Technology Safe campaign (Make-IT-Safe) is a global campaign to make IT safe for children and young people everywhere. Its goal is to get the IT industry and governments to take responsibility for making online and interactive technologies safe for children and young people.
ECPAT Philippines has been at the forefront in the fight against child pornography. In 2005, ECPAT held three regional children & youth consultations on child pornography. This was followed by the National Children’s Consultation against Child Pornography held in Manila in August 2006. The children and young people participants produced an important document from the said activity – the Young People’s Call to Action wherein they (children and youth representatives) recognized that “modern Information Technology or IT like the Internet brings great benefits to us yet contributes to potential harm like the risk of sexual exploitation and child pornography and exposure to age-inappropriate images or messages.” The document called on the government and the IT industry sector like the internet café owners/operators among others, to make IT a safe online haven for them.
Towards the end of 2006, ECPAT engaged continuing anti-child pornography advocacy activities through a series of round table discussions with Icafé owners/operators in major cities nationwide. In 2007, ECPAT and the private sector, represented by Everything Online, Inc., an e- business franchising firm, embarked on a partnership linked by a common desire to protect children from risk while they interact in the virtual world. ECPAT, in coordination with EOL, and through the support of UNICEF, spearheaded the conduct of the National Icafe Owners Conference against Child Pornography. A Code of Conduct for Internet Café Owners & Operators in the Philippines was drafted and adopted in that same conference held at the Grand Boulevard Plaza Hotel, Manila, December 6-8, 2007.
Purpose:
The subnational conferences hope to encourage internet cafe owners and operators to become active in the fight against child pornography and thus make the online technology safe for children wherever they are.
Its specific aims are the following:
1. To improve the Icafe owners’/operators’ knowledge and understanding regarding the benefits and risks that online technologies bring to children and young people;
2. To share local experiences and problems related to children /youth in interaction with online technologies;
3. To adopt the Code of Conduct for Internet Café Owners & Operators in the Philippines;
4. To recommend strategies to make IT safe for children and youth, families and communities.
Urgent Challenge
Child sex abusers are known to be techno-savvy in the sense that they are more adept and skilled in exploring and maximizing the ICT to suit and serve their evil intentions. One of the best ways to prevent the victimization of children is for the IT industry sector, specifically ISPs and Icafe owners, to become aware of the problems facing children; find a strategy to counteract online child abusers; and forge a strong multi-sectoral partnership or cooperation among themselves and other stakeholders in the communities where they are located. The first national conference among Icafe owners and operators had its limitations in terms of number of participants.. In effect, the Code of Conduct for Internet Café Owners and Operators in the Philippines is still not widely known. Thus, there is a need to reach other Icafe owners and operators from around the key areas in the country. By way of adhering to a common code of conduct, ECPAT hopes that a strong base of child sensitive Icafe owners will be developed in the country.
Beneficiaries
Directly, the subnational conferences will benefit 150 Icafe owners. Indirectly, the subnational conferences will benefit hundreds of children, young people and families who will access public Internet cafes for various purposes.
- nothing follows -
Below is a slideshow of the pictures taken during the conference.
Last Saturday I attended the long awaited Sub-national Conference for Internet Cafe Owners and Operators on Anti-pornography. It was also during the conference that the Code of Conduct of Internet Cafe Owners and Operators in the Philippines was signed by all the participants, in the hope that pornography can be minimized/stopped in the internet media.
ECPAT, together with UNICEF and Everything Online made the conference possible. Actually, Erwin Aranas and I, being franchisees of Everything Online Inc., have already participated in the National Conference held in Manila Last December 2007. But our being there was not about joining the conference because we wanted to end pornography. We were not even curious of what ECPAT's and UNICEF's aims were. We were simply there because, as business owners, we wanted to protect our investments and demand from Everything Online Inc. what they were not able to deliver to franchisees in Cagayan de Oro and Misamis Oriental who, like my father(it's actually my dad's investment)paid them in cash prior to the signing of contracts, yet got nothing out of the agreement,that in itself is a different story, which I will blog about real soon. Anyway, it was a two day conference, the first day being that of ECPAT and the second, that of Everything Online concerns. What I liked about the national conference is that during the signing of the code of conduct, we had the ceremonial candle lighting ceremony which Erwin and I have done up on the stage, being leaders of our groups (we were divided into groups during the workshops), unfortunately I do not have pictures to show because my camera went dead and nobody from each of our groups returned the favor of sending their copies of pics taken, to us...however, a picture of the cadlelighting ceremony can be found in the EOL website, ( http://www.everythingonline.ph )
After the candle lighting ceremony, my group and I and the friends I met during the conference had a different topic. It was as if at that very moment we forgot why we came to the conference. For that moment, we stopped being angry and simply listened to what our hearts were telling us--- that being internet cafe owners and operators, we have a mission to protect not only our own kids but the ones who we come across in our very businesses. Much more so, the families who have allowed their children to come to us for our services. And from this sprung our commitment to be one with ECPAT and UNICEF, to protect the children, women and families, because with the onset of technology, there also lies the crime that many have not figured out to be serious and utterly life destructive.
Below is the concept paper for the ECPAT's program for a better understanding.
Concept Paper
Project Title : Sub-National Internet Cafe Owners Conference Against Child Pornography
(Luzon/NCR, Visayas , Mindanao)
Target Dates : July 26, 2008 (Mindanao) August 16, 2008 (Visayas) August 30, 2008 (Luzon/NCR)
Introduction:
ECPAT Philippines was founded in 1991. It is part of a network of international child-focused agencies working for the elimination of child prostitution, child pornography and trafficking of children widely known to be the three forms of CSEC or commercial sexual exploitation of children. ECPAT groups worldwide, including ECPAT Philippines, seek to encourage the world community to ensure that children everywhere enjoy their fundamental rights free and secure from all forms of abuse and sexual exploitation.
One of our goals is to continue improve the level of knowledge and understanding of the public regarding CSEC in general and child pornography in particular and generate interest on such issues so that the public is able to actively participate in the movement to combat it.
Background:
Modern communications technology or ICT has no doubt facilitated the easier exchange of communication among peoples around the world while invigorating economies worldwide as well, among others. But ICT too has spawned a new sense of urgency through the growth of online networks where pimps and other child abusers lurk in cyberspace to victimize innocent children. Like child prostitution and trafficking of children for sexual purposes, in child pornography, children are treated as sexual and commercial objects. This is a clear violation of a child’s right as embodied in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. These abusers are known to advertise or expose children to harmful contents online such as pornographic materials or lure them into the sex trade.
Filipino Internet Users
In 2005, there were at least 19.2 million Filipino Internet Users (FIUs). Public access Internet cafes (Icafes) contribute to the increase in the numbers of FIUs. It is a known fact that children and young people are the greatest users of modern technology and this puts them in possible harm or risk when online.
Child Pornography and the Make -IT -Safe campaign
The Make Information Technology Safe campaign (Make-IT-Safe) is a global campaign to make IT safe for children and young people everywhere. Its goal is to get the IT industry and governments to take responsibility for making online and interactive technologies safe for children and young people.
ECPAT Philippines has been at the forefront in the fight against child pornography. In 2005, ECPAT held three regional children & youth consultations on child pornography. This was followed by the National Children’s Consultation against Child Pornography held in Manila in August 2006. The children and young people participants produced an important document from the said activity – the Young People’s Call to Action wherein they (children and youth representatives) recognized that “modern Information Technology or IT like the Internet brings great benefits to us yet contributes to potential harm like the risk of sexual exploitation and child pornography and exposure to age-inappropriate images or messages.” The document called on the government and the IT industry sector like the internet café owners/operators among others, to make IT a safe online haven for them.
Towards the end of 2006, ECPAT engaged continuing anti-child pornography advocacy activities through a series of round table discussions with Icafé owners/operators in major cities nationwide. In 2007, ECPAT and the private sector, represented by Everything Online, Inc., an e- business franchising firm, embarked on a partnership linked by a common desire to protect children from risk while they interact in the virtual world. ECPAT, in coordination with EOL, and through the support of UNICEF, spearheaded the conduct of the National Icafe Owners Conference against Child Pornography. A Code of Conduct for Internet Café Owners & Operators in the Philippines was drafted and adopted in that same conference held at the Grand Boulevard Plaza Hotel, Manila, December 6-8, 2007.
Purpose:
The subnational conferences hope to encourage internet cafe owners and operators to become active in the fight against child pornography and thus make the online technology safe for children wherever they are.
Its specific aims are the following:
1. To improve the Icafe owners’/operators’ knowledge and understanding regarding the benefits and risks that online technologies bring to children and young people;
2. To share local experiences and problems related to children /youth in interaction with online technologies;
3. To adopt the Code of Conduct for Internet Café Owners & Operators in the Philippines;
4. To recommend strategies to make IT safe for children and youth, families and communities.
Urgent Challenge
Child sex abusers are known to be techno-savvy in the sense that they are more adept and skilled in exploring and maximizing the ICT to suit and serve their evil intentions. One of the best ways to prevent the victimization of children is for the IT industry sector, specifically ISPs and Icafe owners, to become aware of the problems facing children; find a strategy to counteract online child abusers; and forge a strong multi-sectoral partnership or cooperation among themselves and other stakeholders in the communities where they are located. The first national conference among Icafe owners and operators had its limitations in terms of number of participants.. In effect, the Code of Conduct for Internet Café Owners and Operators in the Philippines is still not widely known. Thus, there is a need to reach other Icafe owners and operators from around the key areas in the country. By way of adhering to a common code of conduct, ECPAT hopes that a strong base of child sensitive Icafe owners will be developed in the country.
Beneficiaries
Directly, the subnational conferences will benefit 150 Icafe owners. Indirectly, the subnational conferences will benefit hundreds of children, young people and families who will access public Internet cafes for various purposes.
- nothing follows -
Below is a slideshow of the pictures taken during the conference.
3 comments:
Im glad people are standing up against this issue. We need to be responsible for our kids. Thank you girl for sharing this info! Kudos!
Congratulations by your blog!!!
very good!!!
I am braziliam!!!
http://mixq.blogspot.com/
kiss
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