DESPITE significant progress and development, the welfare and safety of children still demand urgent attention, according to child rights advocate Dr Amar Singh HSS, who is also a Consultant Paediatrician. He highlighted that cases of child abuse seem to have worsened, with a rise in reports and increased severity of the violence, while online abuse of children is also widespread.
“Although we have strong legislation to protect children, our child protection services remain limited. Doctors, welfare officers, and the police often receive inadequate training in child protection, resulting in children suffering even within the protective system,” Dr Amar said.
He also raised concerns about the safety of children on the roads, noting that between 2009 and 2021, nearly 2,900 children aged 6 to 15 years old were killed in motorcycle accidents, including 87 children aged 6 to 10 years.
“Although there are laws to punish parents who allow children under 16 to ride motorcycles, these tragic deaths continue,” he said.
Amar welcomed the formation of a Children’s Development Department as a positive step, but emphasised the need to strengthen child protection services further.
“All healthcare professionals, police, and welfare staff must receive formal training in child protection and rights, as outlined in our legislation. We urgently need more trained social workers to support this work, as we are lagging behind other countries in our region,” he stated.
Meanwhile, Dr Farah Nini Dusuki, the Children's Commissioner for the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia, said that while Malaysia has developed a robust public health system accessible to most communities with minimal or no payment, some children remain underserved.
“Our childhood mortality rates have stagnated over the past 20 years, indicating that our health spending on children’s health has not kept pace with their needs. Critically, we have one of the lowest intensive care bed rates in the region. Every day, paediatricians across the country struggle to find an intensive care bed for a premature baby or a seriously ill child,” she said.
Farah stressed the urgent need for increased budget allocation to child health resources, particularly intensive care.
“We desperately need more well-equipped Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and Pediatric Intensive Care Unit beds nationwide, with adequate staffing. As long as we do not prioritise the wellbeing of children – ensuring their food security, health needs, and access to education –we cannot claim to have ‘come of age’ as a nation. In reality, we have been regressing,” she said.
Both Amar and Farah emphasised that many children in the country still live unfulfilled, marginalised lives in poverty. They called for an end to all discrimination against children and urged that their real needs be met. – September 1, 2024.
