Parents deprive children of their rights: Scholars

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)