Child protection movement prepared

JAKARTA: Minister of Social Services Endang Kusuma Inten Soeweno announced Friday the government's plan to launch later this year a national movement to protect children.

Inten, also chairwoman of the national committee for the celebration of Indonesian Children's Day, reported yesterday to President Soeharto at Merdeka Palace about her ministry's various activities. One of them includes the move to introduce the children's protection movement on July 23 which coincides with children's day.

Inten expressed the government's intention to protect children's rights to the fullest extent.

She also reported the progress of the National Foster Parents drive. Led by Halimah Bambang Trihatmodjo, the drive has amassed Rp 18 billion (US$7.4 million) as of Dec. 31, 1996 to help underprivileged children continue their education.

A total of Rp 4.7 billion ($1.9 million) has been distributed, she said.

Indonesia is among the 188 countries which ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. (01)