MPR urges strengthening of child protection through multi-party collaboration

MPR Deputy Speaker Lestari Moerdijat has urged for cross-sector collaboration to strengthen the child protection system early on, in order to break the chain of violence against children, as the number of cases has increased in recent years. “Handling cases of violence against children every year is impossible to be resolved by the Ministry of Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection alone without the active involvement of a multi-party ecosystem,” Lestari said during an online discussion on Wednesday.

She noted that the root of violence against children often stems from within the family, triggered by economic pressures and repressive parenting patterns passed down through generations. Lestari also highlighted the limited availability of quality psychosocial rehabilitation services, particularly outside major cities, which means the mental recovery of victims is often not a primary focus.

Referring to data from the Online Information System for the Protection of Women and Children (SIMFONI PPA), the number of violence cases against children rose from 11,952 in 2021 to 19,628 in 2024. According to Lestari, this increase demonstrates the need for accurate mapping of areas with escalating cases so that legal interventions and prevention measures can proceed in tandem to uncover previously undetected phenomena.

AKBP Ema Rahmawati, Head of the Operational Development Sub-Directorate for the Directorate of Crimes Against Women and Children and Trafficking in Persons at the Criminal Investigation Agency of the Indonesian National Police, stated that children are a vulnerable group requiring special protection from the state. She explained that handling child violence cases requires a special approach, as perpetrators are often close relatives of the victim. Ema also noted that threats of violence against children are now expanding into the digital space. She affirmed the police’s commitment to handling these cases professionally while prioritising the victim’s perspective, though she acknowledged that complexities in evidence gathering and differing understandings among law enforcement officials remain obstacles.

KPAI Deputy Chairman Jasra Putra reminded stakeholders not to delay building a child protection system and urged the immediate implementation of all relevant regulations. Meanwhile, child protection consultant Reza Indragiri Amriel assessed that violence against children is frequently triggered by divorce issues and custody battles, as well as severed access between parents and children, necessitating a better understanding from law enforcement when handling such cases.

Senior journalist Usman Kansong emphasised the importance of breaking the cycle of violence through early victim recovery. He also drew attention to structural violence, where children are deprived of their rights to education, play, and other fundamental rights. “We should also pay attention to this structural violence, in addition to physical and verbal violence,” Usman said.