National conference on children's welfare underway<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The Indonesian Child Welfare Foundation (YKAI),
\nin cooperation with several local and international non-
\ngovernmental organizations, ministries and universities will hold
\na national conference on children's welfare here from Oct. 26
\nuntil Oct. 28, an official said on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Committee chairman Wagiono Sunarto said the event, the third
\nto be held by the foundation since its establishment in 1979,
\nwill be opened by President Abdurrahman Wahid.<\/p>\n
The first and second conferences were held in 1984 and 1989.<\/p>\n
Wagiono, of YKAI, said this year's conference, entitled
\n\"Developing the Quality of Children of the Country toward the
\nEstablishment of New Indonesia\", was aimed at inventorying the
\nproblems of Indonesian children and providing a solution.<\/p>\n
\"Children are the ones most affected by the economic crisis
\nand conflicts in this country.<\/p>\n
\"But politicians rarely put children's welfare onto their
\npolitical agendas,\" he said in a media conference.<\/p>\n
Government, he added, did not have an institution or
\ndepartment that specifically handled children affairs.<\/p>\n
\"The conference is also aimed at developing a network within
\ninterested groups, and hopefully this conference can establish an
\ninstitution that will be able to coordinate all parties,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Wagiono said the conference would be divided into five
\nworkshops, each with a different theme. They are cultural
\nrevitalization; children's health, nutrition and education;
\nspecial protection for children; mobilization of human resources;
\nand children's participation.<\/p>\n
Experts from the Ministry of National Education, the Ministry
\nof Health and Social Welfare, non-governmental organizations and
\nuniversities will participate in the event.<\/p>\n
Participants will also include representatives from the United
\nNations International Children's Fund, the International Labor
\nOrganization, the Christian Children's Fund and Plan
\nInternational.<\/p>\n
\"We will also have a special session that is fully organized
\nby children to give them the opportunity to express themselves,\"
\nWagiono said.<\/p>\n
Some 80 children, who will represent street children,
\nstudents, refugees and disabled kids, will participate in the
\nspecial session, he added.<\/p>\n
YKAI has recorded a setback in Indonesian children's
\ncondition. Between 1997 and 1998, the rate of secondary school
\nenrollment decreased by six percent, it said in a report.<\/p>\n
Some 1.6 million children aged seven to 12 years old, and 4.8
\nmillion teenagers between 13 and 15 did not attend formal school
\nduring the period.<\/p>\n
The foundation has recorded the number of child refugees at
\n200,000 to 300,000 from the total of some 900,000 refugees.<\/p>\n
Indonesia is also registered as one of the countries that
\nrecruited children as soldiers in conflicts in Aceh and Maluku
\nprovinces. (09)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/national-conference-on-childrens-welfare-underway-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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