Save the Children Philippines

Save the Children Philippines
Name	Save the Children Philippines
Type	Non-governmental organization
Founded	1981
Location	Philippines
Headquarters	Manila
Focus	Child rights, child protection, health, education, emergency response

Save the Children Philippines Save the Children Philippines is a national non-governmental organization focused on child rights and humanitarian response in the Philippines. The organization operates programs in health, nutrition, education, child protection, and disaster risk reduction across the Manila, Mindanao, and Visayas regions. It works with international agencies and local stakeholders to respond to crises such as typhoons, earthquakes, and armed conflicts, collaborating with actors across the United Nations system, regional bodies, and civil society.

History

Founded in 1981 amidst a period of political transition influenced by events like the People Power Revolution and policies shaped during the era of Ferdinand Marcos, Save the Children Philippines developed programs in response to the needs exposed by natural disasters such as Typhoon Haiyan and historical events including the 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo. The organization expanded operations during the 1990s and 2000s, partnering with international institutions such as UNICEF, World Health Organization, and United States Agency for International Development while engaging with national actors including the Department of Social Welfare and Development (Philippines), the Department of Education (Philippines), and regional authorities in Davao City and Cebu City. Throughout its history it has responded to humanitarian crises involving armed groups in areas linked to conflicts with organizations like the Moro Islamic Liberation Front and events in provinces such as Marawi and Zamboanga City.

Mission and Programs

The organization's stated mission aligns with international frameworks including the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and Sustainable Development Goals promulgated by the United Nations General Assembly, delivering programs in maternal and child health modeled after initiatives by World Vision International, Plan International, and OXFAM. Its education programs have implemented non-formal learning models similar to those promoted by Education International and have collaborated with actors like the Department of Education (Philippines) to support learners affected by disasters such as Typhoon Haiyan and the 2013 Bohol earthquake. Child protection initiatives have addressed issues related to trafficking tackled by partnerships with International Labour Organization, Interpol, and the Asian Development Bank, while nutrition interventions have incorporated protocols from the World Food Programme and UNICEF. Emergency response programming follows standards set by the Sphere Project and coordination mechanisms of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

Organizational Structure and Governance

The governance framework features a national board and executive leadership interacting with local field offices in regions like Ilocos Region, Central Visayas, and Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. Board composition and oversight follow practices comparable to those of Amnesty International, Red Cross Society, and Médecins Sans Frontières, with accountability mechanisms responding to donor standards from entities such as European Commission Humanitarian Aid and Global Affairs Canada. Humanitarian coordination roles place the organization in cluster mechanisms alongside agencies like International Organization for Migration and Save the Children International, and its compliance systems reference codes endorsed by the International Non-Governmental Organisations (INGO) Accountability Charter.

Funding and Partnerships

Funding sources have included institutional donors such as the European Union, United States Agency for International Development, Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, multilateral lenders like the World Bank, and private foundations similar to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Ford Foundation, and Aga Khan Foundation. Corporate partnerships have been formed with multinational companies operating in the Philippines and regional partners including Asian Development Bank-supported initiatives. The organization has also engaged with civil society networks such as Philippine Red Cross, Caritas Philippines, and grassroots coalitions active during events like the Marawi Siege and responses to the 2013 Bohol earthquake.

Advocacy and Policy Influence

Advocacy campaigns have addressed child protection, education access, and disaster preparedness, interfacing with legislative actors in the House of Representatives of the Philippines and the Senate of the Philippines as well as national agencies like the Commission on Human Rights (Philippines). The organization participates in policy dialogues linked to international instruments including sessions of the United Nations Human Rights Council and regional forums such as the ASEAN Summit, collaborating with networks including Child Rights International Network and the Global Partnership for Education. Campaigns have sought legal and budgetary reforms influenced by public interest movements like those seen during the People Power Revolution and coordinated advocacy with groups such as UNICEF and Human Rights Watch.

Impact and Evaluation

Program monitoring and evaluation use methodologies aligned with standards from the United Nations Evaluation Group and tools employed by agencies like the World Bank and DFID (now Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office). Impact assessments have examined outcomes in health, education, and protection across provinces including Leyte, Samar, and Zamboanga del Sur, with evaluations cited by regional humanitarian cluster reports and academic studies from institutions similar to the University of the Philippines and Ateneo de Manila University. Lessons learned from responses to crises such as Typhoon Haiyan and the 2013 Bohol earthquake have informed resilience programs coordinated with actors like the Asian Development Bank and UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction.

Category:Non-profit organizations based in the Philippines Category:Child welfare organizations