DAVAO CITY (MindaNews / 19 February) – While the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) has made significant strides in improving children’s welfare, “too many children are still being left behind,” according to Kyungsun Kim, UNICEF Representative to the Philippines. Speaking at the 5th Bangsamoro International Development Partners Forum (BIDPF), themed “From Promise to Prosperity: Celebrating Gains, Accelerating BARMM’s Transformation Through Strategic Partnerships,” Kim highlighted both positive and negative developments in children’s development in the region. She noted that BARMM still lags behind in most social sector indicators for children, citing challenges such as one in three children not being in school, over one-third chronically malnourished, only half fully immunized, and four in 10 living under the monetary poverty line. These issues are compounded by factors like location, gender, disability, ethnicity, and household income, with lasting effects on education, health, and economic stability. Kim stressed the need for sustained collective efforts to close the gap and ensure children in BARMM have access to the same opportunities as the rest of the Philippines. On a positive note, she highlighted a 17% increase in school enrollment since 2023, a decline in child poverty from over 60% in 2019 to around 40%, and a reduction in chronic malnutrition from 45% in 2015 to 34% in 2023. Kim emphasized that investing in children’s health, nutrition, protection, and education is crucial for building resilient communities, stronger societies, and lasting peace. “As the BARMM government is young, investing in children offers one of the highest return pathways to stability, economic growth, and inclusive lasting peace,” she concluded. (Bong S. Sarmiento / MindaNews)
