The World Health Organization was conferred the “Most Valuable Partner” award during the holding of Child Protection Network’s (CPN) 4th Manila Conference for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect. The event was held at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City.
The award was received by Dr Florence Tienzo and was presented to WHO and the Department of Violence and Injury Prevention and Disability in HQ for “its unwavering commitment to advance primary prevention of child maltreatment in the country using a public health approach, as manifested through its collaborative efforts in development work with the Child Protection Network Foundation, as well as with government agencies especially the Department of Health, the academe and other stakeholders in the community.
In her speech, Dr Tienzo recalled that the relationship of the CPN and the WHO country office started five years ago with a collaborative study on adverse childhood experiences and its relation to the development of chronic diseases in later life. After
two years, the two joined forces again in assessing the child maltreatment in the country, which led to recommended national and local actions on child maltreatment prevention.
“The road ahead is a challenge to all of us, but if we
continue to tread the path together as partners, giving our finger of cooperation to address the mountainous task of child maltreatment prevention, we will be able to cover more ground and achieve more, “ she said .
Dr Tienzo also
encouraged the participants of the conference to work together, “if we work together collectively, bound together with one goal, our collective strength will never be broken. Let me then return the recognition to CPN for binding our individual
strengths into one collective force in facing and addressing the challenge of preventing child maltreatment and in promoting child welfare in the country.”