Surabaya City Government Secures Legal Guardianship for 75 Children Through Collaborative Programme
A total of 75 children in Surabaya have now obtained legal certainty regarding their guardianship status through the Integrated Guardianship Programme. This initiative was spearheaded by the East Java High Prosecutor’s Office (Kejati Jatim) in collaboration with the Surabaya District Prosecutor’s Office, the Surabaya District Court, the Surabaya Religious Court, and the Surabaya City Government.
The programme aims to provide legal protection for orphans, abandoned children, and victims of domestic violence. It ensures that the children’s fundamental rights related to administration, education, and healthcare have a clear legal foundation.
Wakil Kepala Kejati Jatim, Luhur Istighfar, stated that the programme was born out of concern, as many children lacked legal status regarding their guardianship. ‘So that they can obtain their rights, whether it is the right to life, education, or others, legal administration must be carried out properly and correctly,’ he said.
Surabaya Mayor Eri Cahyadi expressed his appreciation for the cross-agency collaboration. He emphasised that guardianship legality is a crucial foundation for guaranteeing the fulfilment of children’s rights. ‘We, representing all residents of Surabaya, say thank you. With this guardianship, children’s rights can be protected, including their rights to education, health, and everything else,’ Eri stated.
Of the 75 children, 39 were proposed through the Surabaya District Prosecutor’s Office, while the remaining 36 were proposed via the Tanjung Perak District Prosecutor’s Office. Eri explained that the Surabaya Social Service rigorously validated the data for this programme, prioritising children born and domiciled in Surabaya.
Eri also advised the appointed guardians to care for the children as if they were their own. ‘I entrust these children to you as parents. Please love them and care for them as you would your own biological children,’ he said.
Rahajeng Kurnianing Tias, a guardian from the Sumber Kasih Foundation, expressed her gratitude, noting that the programme has officially made her the guardian of four children aged between two and seven. She highlighted that the legal identity provided by the programme now allows the children to attend school.
Wakil Kepala Kejati Jatim Luhur Istighfar revealed that a total of 447 children across East Java received simultaneous guardianship decrees, marking the first programme of its kind in Indonesia. The process began with local government verification of the children’s domicile, as the trial costs were facilitated by the respective regional governments.
Mufi Ahmad Baihaqi, Chairperson of the Surabaya Religious Court, explained that guardianship essentially grants authority to a guardian to represent minors in legal actions, both inside and outside of court. This legal certainty ensures that the children are protected from various risks.