Our sons and daughters<\/p>\n
To be a \"real street singer\" is the simple dream of Jaman;
\nwhile Anti wants to be a pretty, sweet-smelling bride; she told
\nthis newspaper that water for bathing is a luxury. Both
\nyoungsters are among 75,000 children working the streets of 12
\ncities in Indonesia, according to one study.<\/p>\n
But the stories of Jaman and Anti conceal more ugly facts: In
\n2000 an estimated 300,000 girls under 18 were sex workers;
\ntraumatized orphans are among the 1.2 million people displaced by
\nconflicts. Child labor, and even contemporary slavery, is still
\nfound in domestic work, factories, plantations and fishing
\nstructures. Many minors are forced into early marriage and are
\nvictims of domestic violence although figures are unknown. In
\nMarch the Indonesian Society of Pediatricians reported that last
\nyear some 6.8 million babies out of 85 million babies and
\nchildren in the country were classified as malnourished.<\/p>\n
The National Action Plan for children which is expected to be
\nsigned soon by by President Megawati Soekarnoputri will not
\nlikely benefit today's children in distress. The first five years
\nof the 20-year action plan will be used for \"mapping\" out the
\nproblems and coordinating policies among institutions, as well as
\ncampaigns. The plan was hurriedly launched after Indonesia
\nratified the Convention Against Child Labor two years ago.<\/p>\n
Something else should have been signed on National Children's
\nDay on July 23: The law on children protection. But the House of
\nRepresentatives failed to endorse it on time; now with the annual
\nsession of the People's Consultative Assembly coming up, the
\nbill's passage, after four years of work, had been delayed once
\nagain.<\/p>\n
This legislation would bring Indonesia in compliance with the
\nConvention on the Rights of the Child which the nation ratified
\n12 years ago. It states, among other things, that commercial
\nsexual exploitation of children are crimes which must be stopped
\nand prevented by the state.<\/p>\n
But it is one thing to enact the law, and completely another
\nto enforce it. Protecting children against trafficking would put
\nthe state against powerful syndicates, many of which are known to
\nbe involved in drugs. They have escaped from the law in the past
\nbecause of weak enforcement and an inept or corrupt judiciary.<\/p>\n
A law that recognizes the universal rights of children -- the
\nright to lead a normal, humane life, to have access to health
\ncare and social security, education, rest and recreation -- would
\ncompel the state to act if parents fail to fulfill these rights.<\/p>\n
Wisdom is also necessary in enforcing the legislation. One
\nmother told this newspaper that her children's future was \"not at
\nschool\"; the children must beg for the family's survival.<\/p>\n
Recognizing children's rights would perhaps remind our
\nleaders, that while nearly 60 percent of families live under the
\ninternationally recognized poverty line (earning less than US$2 a
\nday), there will continue to be parents who beat their children
\nfor failing to sing for their supper, and who have no qualms
\nabout sending their girls to the big city brothels.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/our-sons-and-daughters-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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