Government Forms Task Force to Create Safe and Comfortable Spaces for Children

The government is forming a task force to create safe and comfortable spaces for children as part of efforts to prevent violence against them. “We have agreed to form a task force to conduct day-to-day monitoring and ensure synergised implementation across ministries and agencies,” said Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture, Pratikno, during a ministerial-level meeting press conference in Jakarta on Tuesday. The formation of the task force coincides with the launch of the National Movement to Build Safe and Comfortable Spaces for Children (Rana).

Deputy Minister of Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection, Veronica Tan, stated that the task force is responsible for ensuring that the handling of reports of violence against children adopts a victim-centred perspective. “The handling of reports must be victim-centred, meaning integrated services,” said Veronica Tan. The task force will also strengthen the presence of Violence Prevention and Handling Teams (TPPK) in schools. “When talking about prevention, it goes back to the schools and how we strengthen the working groups or task forces within them. There is no compromise when a case occurs, and the handling of that case must be pursued until it is legally binding,” Veronica Tan added.

Several relevant ministries will be involved in the task force’s work to prevent violence against children. The ministerial-level meeting was attended by Deputy Minister of Primary and Secondary Education Fajar Riza Ul Haq, Chairperson of the Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI) Aris Adi Leksono, Deputy Minister of Religious Affairs Romo Muhammad Syafi’i, Deputy Minister of Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection Veronica Tan, and Deputy Minister of Population and Family Development Isyana Bagoes Oka.