Malaysian children, especially teenagers, are becoming anxious and depressed from spending too much time online with classes and socialising limited mostly there, a new study finds.

Indonesia’s Ministry of Women Empowerment and Child Protection (KPPPA) recorded a sharp increase in human trafficking cases during the pandemic with 256 victims in 2021, compared to 213 in 2020 and 111 in 2019.

This study combines a quantitative overview of the leading indicators of well-being among children and young people in cities, with a qualitative, in-depth understanding of how daily life is perceived and experienced by the urban young. The quantitative analysis has predominantly employed existing national data sets, such as The National Socioeconomic Survey (SUSENAS) and the Indonesia Demographic and Health Survey (IDHS), to understand the situation of children in urban settings. The secondary analysis assessed approximately 20 indicators that are based on the SDG/Sustainable Development Goal themes, and that align with the Indonesian National Medium Term Development Plan 2020–2024. The combination of secondary analysis, a systematic literature review, and consultations with children and young people generated insights on the constraints and opportunities faced by them and their broader urban communities.

This webinar, co-hosted with the Martin James Foundation, explores lessons learned in the development and strengthening of foster care systems in a number of countries and contexts, including emerging foster care systems in Bulgaria, Uganda, Cambodia, and Bangladesh as well as the more established foster care system in the UK, with a view to examining challenges and successes in implementation.

“They would always say they were coming back, but they never came back.” These are the words of Sinet Chan in her letter to the Australian government. As a child, Chan spent years in a Cambodian orphanage after losing both of her parents to HIV. Describing her experiences during her formative years there, Chan recounted being forced to entertain the constant stream of visitors from abroad by singing songs and playing games with them in order to encourage donations to the orphanage. “The volunteers were nice people, trying to help us,” Chan wrote, “But now I realise it was a form of exploitation, using us to generate funding.”

Cambodian Minister of Social Affairs Vong Sauth has called on all relevant authorities to resolve children’s protection issues and implement the National Strategy following the launch of the National Policy on Child Protection System 2019-2029 in September.

MANILA, Philippines—At least P7.8 billion has been earmarked in the proposed 2022 national budget for a feeding program for children, according to Anakalusugan Rep. Mike Defensor. But as the country celebrates National Children’s Month this November, would the funding be enough to address the many challenges that confront Filipino children especially amid the pandemic?

Vaccination of boys and girls aged six to 12 has surpassed initial estimates of 1,897,382 to be vaccinated (based on 2019 census) with more than 1,907,695 having received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

The Ministry of Social Affairs has reiterated its commitment to meeting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal of eliminating violence against children globally by 2030.

New analysis indicates lost contribution to economies due to mental disorders among young people is nearly $390 billion a year worldwide, stressed a UNICEF’s news release.