Girls have equal rights to boys, Soeharto says

Girls have equal rights to boys, Soeharto says

JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto made a fresh call on parents
yesterday to treat their daughters the same as their sons in all
respects, including education.

Speaking before 25,000 children and parents attending the
National Children Day celebration at the Beautiful Indonesia in
Miniature Park in East Jakarta, Soeharto pointed out that girls
should be given the same educational opportunities as boys.

"I need to underline this because from the reports that have
reached me I found out that there is still a different treatment
for girls, (one that) favors sons over daughters.

"In order to eliminate this harmful tradition and belief, I
ask that efforts to eradicate illiteracy among women be
accelerated," he said.

Soeharto, accompanied by Vice President and Mrs. Tuti Try
Sutrisno, also launched the second Decade of Children 1996 -
2006. He then signed stamps issued in connection with the United
Nations Children Fund (Unicef). Similar celebrations took place
in other cities as well.

Soeharto has asked over the past several years that greater
attention be paid to the education of girls and boys as a way to
improve the quality of future generations. In 1994, the
government launched the Nine-Year Compulsory Basic Education
program in an effort to, among other things, reduce the drop-out
rate among children and provide equal schooling opportunities for
girls.

"We believe that the education of girls will bring about
multiple benefits because it will improve and enhance the quality
of coming generations and, at the same time, enhance the nation's
dignity and standing," Soeharto said then.

Official statistics showed in 1994 that 18.4 million boys in
the seven to 15-year-old age group were attending school, along
with 17.3 million girls.

In his speech yesterday, the President pointed out the fact
that many parents still have financial difficulty putting their
children through school.

"In order to overcome this obstacle, we have launched the
National Foster Parent Drive," he said. "The drive has received
an encouraging response, but there's still a lot we have to do."

Soeharto reminded that there are at least 400,000 elementary
and junior high school students could be forced to drop out of
school unless they receive immediate financial assistance.

The students are among the six million children too poor to
attend school that Soeharto hopes will benefit from the National
Foster Parents Movement that he launched in May.

The ceremony was also attended by Minister of Religious
Affairs Tarmizi Taher, Minister of Health Sujudi, Minister of
Population Haryono Suyono and Coordinating Minister for People's
Welfare Azwar Anas.

Also in his speech, Soeharto told parents that Indonesian
children need to be prepared in order to face future change and
challenges.

"Please create a situation where children can learn to respect
and love work," he said. "Allow children to take the initiative
for themselves."

To the children attending the celebration and those across the
country, Soeharto said they should "respect your parents, your
teachers and your elders". (swe)