RI's records on child rights below average<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): A United Nations report yesterday ranked
\nIndonesia's record on the rights of children and female
\nadolescents as below average for the East\/South Asia and Pacific
\nregion.<\/p>\n
The Progress of Nations annual report issued by the United
\nNations Children's Fund (Unicef) this year focuses on the success
\nof states in registering each child at birth, immunizing infants
\nagainst six major diseases, and helping adolescents --
\nparticularly girls -- in their development towards adulthood.<\/p>\n
On birth registration, Indonesia was ranked number 13 among 23
\ncountries in the region. It was placed behind countries like
\nAustralia, China, Malaysia, Mongolia, Sri Lanka, Thailand,
\nPakistan and the Philippines.<\/p>\n
Among those ranked below Indonesia were India, Myanmar,
\nBangladesh, Papua New Guinea and Cambodia.<\/p>\n
The report gave Indonesia's child birth registration a rating
\nof three. A rating of one is the best and five is the worst.<\/p>\n
Unicef representative to Indonesia Stephen J. Woodhouse, in a
\nstatement read by Unicef Program Coordinator Yoshiteru Uramoto at
\nthe launching of the report here yesterday, said no more than 60
\npercent of children in Indonesia have a birth certificate.<\/p>\n
Most of those who have birth certificates were born in urban
\nareas.<\/p>\n
A birth certificate is required to get an official identity
\ncard in Indonesia, to enroll a child in school, to obtain a
\npassport and in some cases to get a job.<\/p>\n
\"Therefore, a child without a birth certificate, if the rules
\nare strictly applied, could face discrimination and be
\nmarginalized and robbed of the opportunities to obtain an
\nofficial name and nationality and the services that the country
\nand the society can offer,\" Stephen said in his written
\nstatement.<\/p>\n
On teen births, the report ranked Indonesia at number 17 --
\nabove Bhutan, Nepal, Pakistan, India and Bangladesh.<\/p>\n
It said that every year there was an average of 58,000 babies
\nborn to mothers aged between 15 and 19 years old.<\/p>\n
The regional average is 56,000.<\/p>\n
Bangladesh had the worst record with 115,000 babies born to
\nadolescent mothers every year.<\/p>\n
\"We are all aware of the potential of our adolescents and the
\nimportance of helping them face the challenges that lie ahead.
\nHow we treat them will determine their development toward
\nadulthood.<\/p>\n
\"For adolescent girls specifically, safe motherhood -- and
\ntherefore healthy children -- will depend on how well they are
\nprepared for this function,\" Stephen said.<\/p>\n
One glittering mark was Indonesia's success on immunization.<\/p>\n
Two decades ago, only five percent of all children were
\nimmunized against the six major childhood diseases -- measles,
\ntetanus, tuberculosis, pertussis or whooping cough, diphtheria
\nand polio -- today 80 percent are immunized.<\/p>\n
Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare and Poverty
\nEradication Haryono Suyono, who attended the local launching of
\nthe report, conceded that the nation had a lot of work to do to
\nimprove people's welfare.<\/p>\n
\"Indonesia's record is below the international average, even
\nlower than countries that we think are less developed than
\nourselves. The areas in which we are above average are just
\nexceptions,\" he remarked.<\/p>\n
Also present yesterday were Minister of Social Services
\nJustika Baharsjah and State Minister of Women's Roles Tutty
\nAlawiyah. (aan)<\/p>",
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