that these were, in fact, violations of children’s rights. This may be due to a lack of public awareness regarding dealing with children’s issues in humanitarian situations. 2 5. The affected families’ fear of reprisal is also a challenge in the conduct of child rights monitoring in humanitarian situations. The CHRP has documented instances when families would not disclose complete information or would refuse to share any information with investigators or law enforcers 3 due to fear of retaliation or revenge from both state entities (i.e. military) and rebel groups. 4 The CHRP has also documented an incident when a community hesitated to share or confirm information involving the alleged use of minors as trail guides by the military in conflict-affected areas5. In yet another instance documented by the CHRP, a family expressed fear of being subjected to further harm if they were to report the injury sustained by a seven-month old infant during a military operation against rebels.6 6. Another challenge is the inadequate humanitarian assistance for children. Local risk reduction disaster plans do not always provide for the establishment of child friendly spaces7 in evacuation camps8, thus, they are not in place in all displacement sites.9 It has also been observed that referral pathways are complex and difficult to use, particularly for the purposes of reporting unaccompanied minors and separated children.10 7. There have been some considerable gains in the advocacy for child protection in humanitarian situations. The Children’s Emergency Relief and Protection Act of 2016 provides that special attention be given to children upon the onset of emergency, throughout their displacement, and, ultimately, in the determination of durable solutions to their displacement. 11 It must be noted, however, that not all issues involving children in humanitarian situations are covered by this law. Moreover, the lack of specific laws that protect children from recruitment or forced participation in armed conflict makes the Commission’s work on child protection especially challenging, as nonstate armed groups continue to recruit children to join armed activities and to exploit them in conflict.12 8. The CHRP is also confronting administrative and operational issues in its work. It is acknowledged that the staff do not yet possess adequate technical knowledge in handling issues on children in humanitarian situations.13 Due to the wide range of work that CHRP is expected to undertake, child rights monitoring, especially during humanitarian crises, is not regularly funded. 14 Monitoring of GCRVs in far-flung areas is also difficult to undertake due to geographic constraints. 15 2 Reported by CHRP Region V. Reported by CHRP Region V and CHRP Region X. 4 Reported by CHRP Region V. 5 Reported by CHRP Region V. 6 Reported 7 A prescribed structure for the protection of children in evacuation camps, see Minimum Standards for Child Protection in Humanitarian Actions, Child Protection Working, 2012 and RA 10821 as the Children’s Emergency Relief and Protection Act of 2016. 8 Reported by CHRP CAR. 9 Reported by CHRP CAR, and CHRP Region X. 10 Reported by CHRP Region X. 11 Republic Act 10821. 12 CHRP CAR reported that children are being recruited by rebel groups and are used as human shields in conflict. 13 Reported by CHRP Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR). 14 Reported by CHRP CAR, CHRP Region VIII, CHRP Region IX, and CHRP Region X. 15 Reported by CHRP Region V. 3