Indonesian children to get legal protection

Kurniawan Hari, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

After a seven-month delay, the House of Representatives finally has begun deliberating on a Child Protection bill.

All party factions in the House gave full support on Wednesday in proceeding with the long-awaited bill which was drafted in March by a group of legislators, which includes Handjojo Putro, Tumbu Saraswati, Sayuti Rahawarin, Zain Badjeber, and Firman Jaya Daeli, among others.

The bill comprises 13 chapters and 67 articles and requires the establishment of regional-based commissions for children's legal protection.

Suwignyo of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP) said that the future law should also make it very clear that the biggest role in raising children lies with the family.

"I think child-rearing should remain primarily in the hands of the family rather than in any commission," Suwignyo said.

Nurdahri Ibrahim of the United Development Party (PPP) said the state should give adequate legal protection to children or the country may experience a "lost generation syndrome."

At present child protection is dealt with in Law No.4/1979 on Children's Health, Law No.33/1999 on Human Rights, as well as several international conventions that Indonesia has ratified.

The bill also received praise from Seto Mulyadi, a child welfare activist.

"Child protection will be a victory for children and for the nation," Seto told The Jakarta Post.

He added that a law on child protection had been demanded 15 years ago. "Two years ago the State Ministry for Human Rights Affairs had promised the same thing," he added.

Seto aired grave concerns about numerous cases of mistreatment of children, such as child abuse, exploitation, and sexual molestation. "If there is no protection, the nation will suffer a 'lost generation,'" he added.