Like other UN countries, Indonesia commemorated this year the 20th anniversary of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. With millions of children exploited as child laborers and in prostitution, secretary-general of the National Commission for Child Protection (KOMNAS Anak) Arist Merdeka Sirait talked about the crucial issue with The Jakarta Post's Adianto P. Simamora over the weekend. Below is an excerpt of the interview.
Question: How do you assess child protection in Indonesia?
Answer: The country has yet to pay sufficient attention to the crucial issue even though Indonesia ratified the UN Convention on the Rights of a Child in 1990.
The binding UN convention calls on signatory countries, including Indonesia, to protect children from abuse, sexual exploitation and child labor among others. This means the government has an obligation to comply with the convention and regulate it at a national level.
It seems almost 20 years after signing the UN convention, no significant progress has been made. Indonesia has made little progress. So, it is not surprising that the UN may take some time approving the country's report on child protection submitted by the government.
The UN gave many recommendations regarding numerous unresolved problems.
The number of children who suffer sexual and economic exploitation is quite worrying, but the government has not implemented anything solid to resolve these long-standing problems. Solutions only exist as concepts.
In terms of regulation, Indonesia has several for child protection. For example, the child protection, human rights and national education system laws.
But the infrastructure needed to implement the law is poor and law enforcement is weak.
How vulnerable are children to exploitation and violence?
They are very prone to violence, human and drug trafficking and child labor due to poor economic conditions.
About 6.5 million children aged under 18 are forced to work due to living in poverty. They work on the street and in plantations and prostitution.
About 2.1 million work with poor protection as housemaids and sex workers locally and overseas. They are vulnerable to sexual abuse and trafficking.
We also noted between 70,000 and 90,000 children were victims of sexual abuse. Another 1.2 million suffered acute malnutrition.
Children in conflict or disaster-affected areas are also prone to violence, trafficking and sex abuse. Millions of children have likely discontinued their education due to the impact of the global economic downturn.
Our data shows of 4,726 surveyed junior and senior high school students, 97 percent admitted they were sexually active and 21 percent of senior students admitted having between 2007 and 2008. Prostitutes, especially in mining areas, are more exposed to HIV/AIDS.
In addition, the law must ban tobacco and cigarette ads. Cigarette advertisements encourage smoking, which is harmful to the youth.
This is a terrifying situation. Like corruption, which is seen by some as part of Indonesia's culture, child exploitation must be stopped.
How do you see public participation in reporting violence against children?
It is improving thanks to the law on witness protection. More organizations are reporting violence against children to institutions such as the National Commission for Child Protection. We have also received many reports from the public, mainly in Greater Jakarta.
However, many cases remain unreported, particularly domestic violence and bullying. Parents and teachers who should be protecting children, abuse their rights.
I think most Indonesian children experience violence at home, school and work. It is part of being an Indonesian youth.
What measures have the government undertaken to protect children?
The government has to make concrete and quantifiable steps to provide child protection, instead of only entrusting it to the state minister for women's empowerment.
With a high education budget, the government can provide free elementary and secondary education and monitor parents whose children do not attend school.
We hope the ministry achieves a breakthrough with its 100-day program mapping Indonesian children's condition to determine a child protection plan.
