Birth certificate campaign launched

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.