CHAPTER 3 - REPORT OF THE LAW REFORM AND INTERNATIONAL TREATIES WORKING GROUP (e) Abandonment of Babies The Commission is deeply concerned about the rising incidence of abandonment of babies. The act of abandoning babies is a grave violation of the rights of children, contravening the principal objectives of the CRC that emphasise their rights to survival, development and protection. As a response to the situation, the Commission organised a Forum on ‘Abandonment of Babies’ in December to provide a platform for discussion of the attendant issues and to seek possible solutions. Distinguished speakers from Government agencies and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) were invited to share their knowledge and experiences. Hjh Amni Yusoff of the Social Welfare Department presented a paper entitled: Sharing Experience on Abandoment of Babies The Forum agreed that collaborative efforts and cooperation among all stakeholders are essential to progressively address problems of abandonment of babies. There can be no single solution in putting an end to the present scenario. The Forum also called on the Commission to pursue the issue of abandonment of babies continuously and to directly engage with target groups, such as children and university students, in order to understand the underlying issues. 52