National action plan on child abuse launched

JAKARTA: The Women's Empowerment and Child Protection Ministry on Friday launched the national action plan to address violence against children.

"It's crucial to have an action plan because there are so many cases of child abuse in this country," Women's Empowerment and Child Protection Minister Linda Amalia Sari Gumelar said.

The action plan underlines the need to promote and to improve public awareness of violence against children, in cooperation with government agencies, NGOs, the public and the media.

Violence against children, which includes physical abuse, harassment, sexual abuse, humiliation and negligence, is caused mostly by a lack of public awareness of what constitutes abuse, poverty and overpopulation.

"Child abuse happens mostly because adults view certain forms of violence as disciplinary action," Unicef child protection specialist Astrid Gonzaga Dionisio told The Jakarta Post.

Seto Mulyadi of the National Commission for Child Protection (Komnas Anak) also pointed out that most teachers saw physical abuses as a necessary means to discipline students.

"The plan should involve not only government officials, but also parents and teachers," he said.

To increase public awareness, the ministry will conduct campaigns and workshops nationwide among the grassroots of Indonesia.

As part of the plan, the Indonesian government, with the support of the United Nations Children's Fund (Unicef), plans to conduct five programs to minimize violence against children. - JP