Birth certificate campaign launched

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, Jakarta

In commemoration of National Children's Day, which fell on Friday, the government launched a nationwide campaign to provide free birth certificates.

"With this campaign, we expect each regional administration to provide access for people to register their children. If it is necessary, they can provide the birth certificates for free," Minister of Health Achmad Suyudi said after a Children's Day celebration.

The celebration was officiated by President Megawati Soekarnoputri at the Fantasy World amusement park, North Jakarta.

Currently, 26 percent of the 90.2 million children in the country have no birth certificates.

United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) data showed last year that more than 50 percent of Indonesian children under five years old were unregistered, which ranks the country among the top 19 in the world with the lowest birth certificate coverage.

Most parents complain about the high cost and lengthy procedures involved in obtaining birth certificates, which are required to enroll in school, take out insurance, procure jobs and other services, and without which people cannot obtain the citizenship card mandatory for all bureaucratic paperwork.

The government is also preparing a new bill on national civic registration to stipulate a mandatory, free birth registration system.

National Commission for Child Protection (Komnas PA) chairman Seto Mulyadi hailed the campaign, saying it would guarantee each child's basic rights, such as education, health and employment.

"We consider the national campaign necessary, as many of our children have not been able to obtain the best education and other services because they do not have birth certificates," he said.

During the celebration, the government also launched two separate programs: national education for all and non-smoking for all schools.

In her Children's Day message, Megawati reminded all children to study harder, as the nation's future depended on them.

"Listen to your parents, especially your mother, as they gave birth to you, and do not forget to do your homework," she told around 600 children at the event.

The children also read out a declaration asking the government to establish a ministry of children's affairs, secure children's right to education, health and other social facilities, stop violence against children and stop political campaigns involving children.