'Beating children is right violation'

Childhood should be the most precious time of a person's life. National Children's Day on July 23 was an opportunity for the state, parents and adults to pledge to protect and promote the rights of children. However, many children are still unable to go to school, while others have been caught up in conflict zones. The Jakarta Post talks to residents about this issue.

Marinah, 46, sells soft drinks at the Blok M bus terminal in South Jakarta. She lives with two of her children in Mampang:

The rights of children? Well, let me see. I have five myself plus three grandchildren.

I sent them all to school, but two of my daughters refused to continue their education to high school.

My third daughter refused to continue her education at university because she said she didn't want to be a burden to me anymore and wanted to get married.

She married at 17 and has a child now.

I actually disapproved of her decision because I was worried about her future if she got married at such a young age. But as she was determined, what could I do?

Indeed, she never asks me for money, but if she visits me at my house I sometimes give her money. She never refuses the money.

Ratna, 19, is a third-year student at vocational high school Mitra Pembangunan in Jeruk Purut, South Jakarta. She was visiting a Children's Day Exhibition in Blok M Mall, South Jakarta:

As a child, I have the right to education of course. I also have the right to be loved and cherished by my parents.

Beating children is a violation of their rights.

However, if I misbehave and my parents scold me or give me some words of wisdom, that's OK.

Sometimes parents forbid us from going out late at night and I think that's fine.

But I could not accept it if my parents did not allow me to go out, for example, to attend a friend's birthday party. If my parents don't trust me, they can come along with me to the party.

--The Jakarta Post