Based on the latest report from the National Commission on Child Protection (Komnas PA) violence against children increased from 746 cases in 2012, to 329 reported cases
ased on the latest report from the National Commission on Child Protection (Komnas PA) violence against children increased from 746 cases in 2012, to 329 reported cases. The case at Jakarta International School (JIS) should be a signal for the government to take effective measures as mandated in the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Vienna Declaration and Program of Action. The program to stop the violence against the young has to be a nationwide and a top priority.
The protection of children against sexual abuse and exploitation has long been a global concern. Two subsequent world congresses were held, in Yokohama in 2001 and in Rio de Janeiro in 2008, which further refined implementation of international standards in child protection. The congresses among others addressed prevention of child rights violations, the protection, recovery and reintegration of child victims and the participation of children and adolescents in actions designed to address these phenomena.
The 2013 congress mandated follow up and support for child victims of sexual exploitation and an independent child rights institutions to monitor prevention of the sexual abuse of children and the protection of victims.
Regarding sexual abuse, the convention highlighted the importance of combating child rights violations, with the need to invest in prevention and to ensure the physical and psychological recovery and social reintegration of child victims in an environment that fosters the health, self-respect and dignity of the child.
The victim of the sexual abuse at JIS needs a period of physical and psychological recovery. Komnas PA should monitor action taken for all child victims of violence. The steady effort is necessary in the promotion of public information, education and capacity building on the rights of the child, breaking the silence surrounding these issues and to push further policies where necessary, to ensure children's effective protection. The school should be held responsible for what has happened by providing the necessary information particularly to the victim's family, being as transparent as possible and by acting cooperatively.
The legal status of the school actually indicates the school willingness to be accountable in conducting an education for early childhood. According to the Education Minister Regulation No. 58/2009 on early childhood education standard, education should give special attention to the development of social-emotional of the child. Thus, teachers must have the ability to identify changes in child behavior. In this case, the JIS teachers apparently failed to diagnose the change.
The school has clearly failed to recruit competent and responsible persons to oversee education and also cleaning staff, who should support the children's safety. Even if authorities decide not to give JIS kindergarten a permit, the management still needs to support a therapy program for the victim an investigation to determine the teachers and managers' responsibility should lead to transparent legal proceedings, with a deterrent effect for those
responsible.
The central and local government must consider comprehensive and implementable regulation on safety environment for early childhood education. Sexual abuse is also known widely to be perpetrated by the victim's close family or someone else in the victim's close environment. Young children need to be fully supervised, including when they have completed toilet training.
Once a child has experienced violence, reparation is the hardest part. Failure to take an action now will jeopardize the future generation.
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The writer lectures in law and international relations, and is a consultant for human rights and gender equality.
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