1. BRUNEI DARRUSSALAM: INCREASE IN ABANDONED BABIES - A WORRYING TREND
Speaking at a forum on the UN Convention on Rights of the Child, a leading woman social worker, Hajah Mordia, mentioned that at least one baby was reported abandoned every year since 1995.
Brunei is home to 108,000 children and even the abandonment of children in the kingdom was a worrying trend on the rise. There have been reports of at least 15 babies being abandoned between 1995 and 2002.  In 2002 itself, 3 babies were found abandoned.
Though Brunei has a low record of child rights violations, this new phenomenon is on the rise and needs to be addressed quickly. [Source: Brunei Direct]

2. SRI LANKA: LTTE CONTINUES TO RECRUIT CHILDREN
The Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) has said that the LTTE is still recruiting children in spite of the ceasefire.
It said that a total of 556 violations of children's rights were reported since February 2002 when the ceasefire was declared by the government and the LTTE and the LTTE had promised to stop recruitment of children as combatants. Of this, the LTTE were responsible for 502 violations of children and the government were responsible for 54 violations.
SLMM quoted that the LTTE were involved in 313 cases of child recruitment, 89 cases of abductions of adults and 41 cases of harassment. The majority the complaints coming from the Batticola province in Sri Lanka. [Source: Colombo Page]

3. PHILIPPINES: 15 CHILDREN RESCUED FROM CULT FOUND MALNOURISHED AND UNCLEAN
15 children between the ages of one to sixteen were reportedly 'rescued' by representatives of the Commission of Human Rights (CHR) from caves in the Buhisan region of Philippines.
The children were living with members of a cult called Salve Me Pater Omnis Oculus Meus (meaning Father forgive me for my Sins) Initiated by Alfredo Verano. 
The taskforce was formed after the Commission of Human Rights, Department of Social Welfare Development, learnt of incidents of exploitation from former members of the cult. The members gave written affidavits and stated under oath that women and children were subjected to sexual abuse and hard labour within the cult. Children did not attend school and were instead involved in digging caves. [Source: Sun Star, The Manilla Bulletin Online]