Kota Kinabalu: Representatives from 10 organisations have pledged collective action for child protection as the inaugural Child Safeguarding Conference Sabah 2026 concluded with a shared commitment to build safer communities for children across the state.
Participants stood and joined hands during the closing segment, repeating a pledge led from the stage: “We will build communities that protect together.”
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Child Safeguarding Initiative (CSI) Sabah chairperson Sonia Chin said she hopes the conference marks the beginning of a long-term effort to strengthen child protection in Sabah, urging individuals and organisations to join the movement.
“The organisations on stage are experts in different fields and everyone is important,” she said.
The conference was held at the Sabah International Convention Centre on Saturday.
Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (Suhakam) Vice-Chairperson Datuk Mariati Robert said child safeguarding is a fundamental human right that must be protected by society, especially for vulnerable children.
“Suhakam remains open to advising the government on updating laws when changes are needed,” she said.
United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) representative Lee Siow Ling called on the state government, civil society and community groups to translate the Convention on the Rights of the Child into concrete action.
She said Unicef will engage with the Ministry of Women and related agencies to share findings from the Sabah Child Well Being Index and train civil society organisations to use the data for advocacy work.
The call-to-action segment was coordinated by CSI Sabah, a collaborative council established in May 2024 by a coalition of non-governmental organisations and associations.
Its founding members include Persatuan Tadika Sabah, Persatuan C.H.I.L.D. Sabah, Advocates for Non-discrimination and Access to Knowledge (ANAK), Persatuan Perkhidmatan Taska Sabah (PPTS) and Pacos Trust, with Good Shepherd Services and Kinabalu International School joining later.
Majlis Perkhidmatan Masyarakat Sabah (MPMS) representative Joeanne Lee said it takes a collective effort to raise a child, calling on all stakeholders to co-create solutions and strengthen a culture of safeguarding.
Persatuan Tadika Sabah (PTS) representative Azalene Quadra said the association remains committed to improving early childhood education through teacher training and its “Keep Kids Safe” resource, which helps children recognise unsafe situations.
Persatuan Perkhidmatan Taska Sabah (PPTS) representative Ivy Benjamin said the association continues to support taska operators and educators in creating safe environments free from abuse, neglect and exploitation.
ANAK representative Anne Baltazar said every child deserves to grow up safe and have access to services regardless of nationality or documentation status, stressing that child protection is a shared responsibility.
Pacos Trust representative Anne Lasimbang said the organisation will continue working to strengthen protection systems for indigenous children in Sabah.
Kinabalu International School representative Sam Gipson said the school remains committed to advancing child protection in education through collaboration with international education bodies.
Persatuan C.H.I.L.D. Sabah representative Jacquelin Lingham said the organisation advocates for vulnerable children, including those with disabilities, to ensure their rights are upheld.
Good Shepherd Services representative Hellvydea Baidil said safeguarding is a shared responsibility, supported through training modules designed to equip parents and children with safety awareness skills.
Unicef Malaysia programme specialist Elaine Kong closed the segment by leading attendees in a pledge to commit to child safeguarding efforts, which was met with applause.
