Children need more protection from the state
Children need more protection from the state
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Freedom from any form of exploitation topped children's demands
conveyed to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono during the
National Children's Day celebration on Sunday.
The children. summing up their three-day congress, also asked
the government to set up a new ministry tasked with dealing with
children's issues and to take serious measures to enforce Law No.
23/2002 on child protection.
"Many Indonesian children are at risk of falling victim to
commercial sexual exploitation and forced labor on the streets,
while the government has failed to address the problems," the
children said in a statement read by Andra Septian and Rustio
Riskandaru before the President and several Cabinet ministers
attending the celebration at Taman Mini Indonesia in East
Jakarta.
The government was also criticized for failing to protect
children in conflict-prone areas, such as Maluku and Aceh, where
many children witnessed or were victims of violence.
The recent malnutrition cases which resulted in the deaths of
dozens of children were further proof of the government's failure
to protect children, they said.
"We expect the government to provide healthy food for children
nationwide so they will not suffer from malnutrition, and provide
free medical care," the statement said.
Free education, which the government has conceded unlikely due
to the oil subsidy, was another demand the children voiced before
the President.
Poverty is blamed for the failure of one in every five
Indonesian children under 15 to obtain an education, according to
a recent survey conducted by the International Labor
Organization.
The children also asked the government to change the juvenile
penitentiary into an institution that provides "assistance and
protection for children who are dealing with legal matters" and
grant special remission to juvenile inmates.
Responding to the demands, Susilo said the government and the
legislators had agreed to reallocate the fuel subsidy for
education and health care, although he acknowledged it would not
materialize in the near future.
During the commemoration, the President presented awards to
Andi Juanda, 15, a junior high school student from Padang, West
Sumatra, Asti Utami, 17, a senior high school student from
Palembang, South Sumatra, for their contribution to the promotion
of children's rights and Bela Diniyah Putri, 13, a junior high
school student from Lampung for her efforts to fight for
children's rights through music and sports.
Later in the day, the children joined thousands of others at
Ancol Dreamland in North Jakarta to continue the celebration.
First Lady Kristiani Herawati stole the show in the televised
event when she read a story for the children. Kristiani asked the
children in her 15-minute story to express their thoughts and
feelings.
Kristiani also asked the children to support the government
campaign for energy conservation by reducing lighting at night
and avoiding watching TV and playing computer games.