Child protection movement prepared

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)