Parents deprive children of their rights: Scholars

JAKARTA (JP): Religious scholars agreed yesterday that most often it is parents that deprive children of their rights.

Moslem scholar Quraish Shihab of the Syarif Hidayatullah State Institute for Islamic Studies and Protestant theologist Victor Tanja spoke in the second day of a three-day discussion that explored how religions deal with the question of children's rights.

"Parents tend to insist (that children follow) whatever is decided for them and disregard the children's right to decide for themselves," said Shihab.

"Children are human beings and human beings need to be respected," he said. "If a parent keeps insisting that his or her child become a doctor despite the child's desire to be a musician, then that parent does not respect the child's right (to choose)."

He said people should first protect their own children's rights before they go out and speak about the need to protect other children from the harsh environment outside the home.

The desire to protect, however, should not grow and develop into overprotection that stifles a child's independence. Children need to be educated to be independent, too, he said.

"Protection should not prevent children from developing their potential and talent," he said. "It should not hamper the development of their intelligence and their emotional growth."

The discussion on children's rights and protection is being held by the Ministry of Religious Affairs to commemorate National Children's Day which annually falls on July 23.

During the celebration of this year's children's day last month, President Soeharto launched a child protection campaign to battle physical and emotional maltreatment.

Tanja shared Quraish's view, saying that families should encourage their children to be independent. "Parents should facilitate rather than dictate a child's (development)," he said.

"It's tragic that most of the time it's parents that deprive children of their rights," he said.

The discussion was opened on Wednesday by Minister of Religious Affairs Tarmizi Taher and was attended by about 50 educators, and representatives of religious organizations. Speakers include psychologist Sarlito Wirawan Sarwono, legal expert Yusril Ihza Mahendra and Moslem scholar Komaruddin Hidayat.

The speakers also discussed yesterday the question of children supporting their parents by working to augment family incomes.

Poverty is a major obstacle of boosting children's welfare, and is usually the most cited cause of child labor. The latest data from the Ministry of Social Affairs and the National Statistics Bureau said that about 2.1 million children aged between 10 and 14 years are part of the country's workforce.

There are 50,000 street children and 270,000 young people involved in juvenile delinquency, such as drug abuse. About 60 percent of 71,000 residents in prostitution rehabilitation centers are young girls who are at high risk for contracting the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and other sexually transmitted diseases.

The government ratified in 1990 the United Nations' Convention on the Rights of the Child through Presidential Decree No. 36 and is in the process of translating the commitment into action under the current Five-Year Development Plan.

Experts agreed, however, that child protection remains weak.

Earlier this year, Minister of Social Services Endang Kusuma Inten Suweno said that studies have begun on formulating the campaign for the protection of children's rights.

She said strategic measures were needed to safeguard the young against physical exploitation, emotional abuse, neglect and poverty. Proposed laws include regulating child workers, children's rights and juvenile courts. (10)