Photo credit: United Nations OHCHR
“Magkaisa: Sugpuin ang Online Sexual Exploitation of Children (OSEC)” is the rallying cry of the Third Freedom Forum of the Philippine Interfaith Movement Against Human Trafficking (PIMAHT).
The public know OSEC as abuse of children but it is also a form of human trafficking.
According to the United Nations Office of High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), the precise number of children who are victims of online child sexual exploitation is unknown.
The International Association of Internet Hotlines on the other hand reported that the number of webpages containing child sexual abuse materials increased by 147 percent from 2012 to 2014, with girls and children 10 years old or younger portrayed in 80 percent of these materials.
This is why the PIMAHT, an interfaith movement composed of the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), National Council of Churches in the Philippines (NCCP), Philippine Council of Evangelical Churches (PCEC), together with partners International Justice Mission (IJM), Philippine Children’s Ministries Network and Talitha Kum, is organizing the Third Freedom Forum around this theme in order to increase cooperation and intensify the call on the faithful to raise awareness and launch doable action against Human Trafficking and OSEC.
It will be held on November 8, 2018 at the Victory Christian Fellowship, 3rd Floor, The Forum Robinson’s Mall, Pioneer Street, Mandaluyong City
The Third Freedom Forum primarily aims to provide a platform for the general orientation and updates on human trafficking.
Further, it targets increased collaboration among churches and other stakeholders to fight human trafficking, especially OSEC, and provide the best protection to children.
Head of the Program Committee is Ms. Mary Girlie Glen “Gigi” M. Tupasof International Justice Mission. For more information please contact her at (02) 633-3743 and 0915-431-3841 or email mtupas@ijm.org.
