Government may reverse rejections of UN child protection articles
Dewi Santoso, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
In an about-face, the government looks likely to accept seven articles in the United Nations convention on children's rights, which will provide children with more freedom and protection.
Deputy head on Welfare and Child Protection Rahmat Santika at the office of the State Minister of Women's Empowerment said on Tuesday that the government was reconsidering the articles.
"We rejected the seven articles at the time because they did not conform to our moral values. But in time, we understand that they can be applicable as long as there are regulations on the issues. There is a possibility that we will accept the articles," he said.
He added that Indonesia's acceptance of the articles would be decided during the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) from Jan. 13 to Jan. 20 in Geneva.
Indonesia will send to the UN Convention a 24-strong delegation comprising representatives from the office of the State Minister of Women's Empowerment, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Social Affairs and non- governmental organizations.
The delegation will submit reports on eights topics to be discussed at the convention, including children's rights and freedom, family empowerment and juvenile justice.
Rahmat said the government had worried over the article that granted full freedom to obtain information to children.
"It was rejected at the time, as we were afraid that it would give children full access to pornography as an impact of the rapid development of information technology," he said.
Another article provides total protection of children's private lives, which Rahmat said had sparked controversy because it might open the door to drugs for children.
The government also objected to the article on adoption, which allows married couples to adopt children of different religions.
Rahmat said the CRC committee had demanded that Indonesia accept the seven articles since its initial meeting in November 1989.
Secretary-General of the National Commission for Children's Protection (Komnas PA) Arist Merdeka Sirait said the government had been overly worried about "things that do not exist, even in the Middle East".
Arist criticized the government for not being sensitive toward children issues and for not doing enough to uphold children's rights.
"The government thought it had recognized children's rights by enacting Law No. 23/2003 on child protection," he said.
Controversial CRC articles
----------------------------------------------------------------- Article No. Issue ----------------------------------------------------------------- 1. A child means every human being below the age of 18. 14. State parties shall respect the right of the child
to freedom of thought, conscience and religion. 16. No child should be subjected to arbitrary or
unlawful interference with his/her privacy,
family, home or correspondence, nor to unlawful
attacks on his/her honor and reputation. 17. State parties recognize the important function
performed by the mass media ... and shall ensure
that the child has access to information and
material from a diversity of national and
international sources. 21. State parties that recognize and/or permit the
system shall ensure that the best interests of the
child shall be the paramount consideration. 22. State parties shall take appropriate measures to
ensure that a child who is seeking refugee status
receives appropriate protection and humanitarian
assistance. 29. State parties agree that the education of the child
shall be directed to his/her development. -----------------------------------------------------------------