Street children not pests: Experts<\/p>\n
YOGYAKARTA (JP): Experts are becoming critical of government
\npolicies which treat street children merely as \"pests to be
\ncontrolled\", and are calling for a comprehensive examination of
\nthe problem.<\/p>\n
Some 200 experts at the two-day International Conference on
\nStreet Children, which was opened here yesterday by Indonesian
\nMinister of Social Services Inten Soeweno, agreed in their
\npreliminary discussions that there are \"gaps\" between policies
\ndrafted by decision makers with how the street children are
\nactually being handled.<\/p>\n
An Indonesian official present at the meeting at Sanata Dharma
\nUniversity admitted that the country has yet to formulate
\nstrategies to handle the problem of street children effectively.<\/p>\n
Teresita L. Silva, the Philippines regional representative for
\nCHILDHOPE Asia, a non-governmental organization (NGO) for street
\nchildren said: \"Governments, including Indonesia's, must seek
\nbetter treatments if they wish to solve the problem of street
\nchildren once and for all.<\/p>\n
\"Street children are not pests to be controlled. They are some
\nof the most creative people and...survivors, despite having to
\nlive with many limitations.\"<\/p>\n
She called on all communities to \"own\" their street children,
\nrather than leave them to the care of the non-governmental
\norganizations and the government.<\/p>\n
Both Silva and sociologist Loekman Soetrisno of Gadjah Mada
\nUniversity, who moderated yesterday's sessions, agreed that
\npeople involved in the problem of street children need to be more
\nvisionary and have better action plans.<\/p>\n
Loekman suggested that Indonesia learns from the Philippines
\nin its handling of street children. \"The NGOs in the Philippines,
\nfor instance, have struck some kind of an agreement with the
\nNational Police Chief never to roundup street children,\" Loekman
\nsaid. \"Arresting street children does not solve the problem. It
\ndehumanizes the children.\"<\/p>\n
The Inspector General of the Ministry of Social Services,
\nSetiyoko, conceded that Indonesia needed to undertake more
\nresearch on the problem of street children. \"We don't know for
\nsure how many children are out there, roaming the streets, we
\ndon't even have a uniform definition of who street children are,\"
\nhe admitted.<\/p>\n
As a result, Indonesia does not have a strategy to tackle the
\nproblem well, he acknowledged.<\/p>\n
Donald C. Kaminsky, the executive director of the Honduras-
\nbased Foundation for Development, Friendship and Resources said
\nstreet children are living in exceptionally high risk
\nenvironments.<\/p>\n
\"Their personal hygiene and nutritional status are poor. They
\nare also victims of economic and demographic dislocations,
\nwidespread poverty, family disintegration, societal violence, and
\nphysical, sexual and emotional abuse,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Kaminsky, an associate professor at Tulane University's School
\nof Public Health, called for a comprehensive response to the
\nsituation. The government and the NGOs should offer preventative
\ntreatment as well as rehabilitation measures, he said.<\/p>\n
\"Prevention and care should be integral in nature,\" he said.<\/p>\n
\"Street children must be looked at and cared for within a
\nholistic framework. The problem analysis and response to it need
\nto take into consideration the interrelated bio-psycho-social
\nfactors which define the health conditions of street children.\"<\/p>\n
A number of street children participated in the conference,
\nselling handicrafts and books on street children published by
\nHumana Foundation. Calling themselves GIRLI (from the Indonesian
\nwords pinggir kali, meaning those living on river banks), the
\nchildren mingled easily with conference participants.<\/p>\n
Taking the theme of \"empowering street children\", the
\nconference is being held by the Indonesian National Council of
\nSocial Welfare and the Yogyakarta chapter of the Coordinating
\nBoard for Social Welfare Activities. (30)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/street-children-not-pests-experts-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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