Several urban children lack birth certificates

JAKARTA (JP): Half of Indonesian children in urban areas do not possess birth certificates, an official said on Monday.

In villages, the figure was even lower with around one third of the children not having the certificates, an executive of the State Ministry for the Empowerment of Women, Lily I. Rilantono, said.

Without certificates, children would not be able to avail of social welfare benefits, education or the health insurance schemes provided by the government, she told a media briefing at her office.

To cope with this situation, the state ministry will launch a nationwide program encouraging each regency to issue birth certificates to at least 10 children living in each village within their jurisdictions.

"Local non-governmental organizations and the local administration will establish a committee for each regency to call on the families who may be eligible to apply for birth certificates for their children," she said.

This is one of a series of programs to be launched to mark National Children's Day which falls on July 23.

The 2001 commemoration, which is taking the theme "Living Together in Diversity", will be held continuously from July to October throughout the country so as to encourage children to speak about their problems and to struggle for their rights.

Lily, who is also chairwoman of the National Children's Day's committee, said there would also be programs for displaced children.

"The displaced children are mostly suffering from trauma and have lost their right to play. We want to give it back to them.

"The main goal of the whole program is for us to contemplate what we should do for our children and to encourage this to be put into effect so that they can grow properly and don't become the lost generation," she added. (bby)