Govt told to protect destitute children<\/p>\n
Debbie A Lubis, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Even as the bill on child protection is likely to be approved
\nby the House next Tuesday, people are still skeptical about
\nwhether the government is really committed to protecting
\nchildren, especially destitute children.<\/p>\n
There are still too many helpless children wandering the
\nstreets, and yet no significant efforts have been taken by the
\ngovernment to help them, according to non-governmental
\norganization (NGO) activists.<\/p>\n
Activists hope that the bill, when it is signed into law by
\nPresident Megawati Soekarnoputri later in July, will encourage
\nthe government to play an active role, together with NGOs, to
\nprotect destitute children.<\/p>\n
Pandji Putranto, national program coordinator for the
\nInternational Labor Organization (ILO), said the government
\nshould prepare regulations that support the law.<\/p>\n
\"When this bill is passed into law, it will be one step
\nforward for the country's child protection program,\" Pandji told
\nThe Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
\"Nevertheless, we must ensure that the law is implemented
\nfully through various regulations, as we are still three or four
\nsteps behind neighboring countries.\"<\/p>\n
Pandji said the first thing the government should do after the
\nlaw was enacted was establish regulations and allocate enough
\nfunds to support the establishment of more rehabilitation centers
\nfor children, especially to treat child prostitutes and drug
\nusers.<\/p>\n
\"Especially for poor children whose parents cannot afford to
\nsend their children to rehabilitation centers, the government
\nshould provide free services to rehabilitate their children,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
The government should then establish a clear-cut
\naccountability mechanism for such centers to prevent misuse of
\nstate money as well as donations from the community and foreign
\ndonors.<\/p>\n
According to the Center for Children in Need of Special
\nProtection, there are around 11.7 million children who are
\nneglected or have been abandoned or displaced, while some 70,000
\nchildren across the country work on the streets.<\/p>\n
Damanhuri Rosadi, executive director of the Indonesian Child
\nWelfare Foundation (YKAI) praised the bill as being comprehensive
\nand for protecting children from all forms of discrimination,
\nexploitation, violence, persecution and illiteracy.<\/p>\n
He agreed with how the bill gives rights to society --
\nincluding individuals, child protection institutions, social
\norganizations, religious institutions, business institutions and
\nthe mass media -- to handle the problem of neglected children
\nthrough institutional and noninstitutional approaches.<\/p>\n
The center's executive director, Arist Merdeka Sirait, said
\nthe government should also encourage families to protect
\ndestitute children by designing family-based rehabilitation
\nprograms.<\/p>\n
\"Poor children could still stay with their families even
\nthough they are financially supported by sponsors, for example,\"
\nArist said.<\/p>\n
Nurdiati Akma, a legislator at the House of Representatives
\nCommission VII for population and welfare affairs, said that the
\nlaw was a gift for Indonesian children, who will observe National
\nChildren's Day on July 23.<\/p>\n
The House is slated to convene a plenary session on Tuesday to
\napprove the child protection bill. Megawati is scheduled to sign
\nthe bill into law on July 17.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/govt-told-to-protect-destitute-children-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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