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Two children appointed as ministers to voice the fight against sexual violence
Two Indonesian children, Kanaya, 17, and Abhimanyu, 15, got the chance of a lifetime when they were elected as Ministers of Women's Empowerment and Child Protection (PPPA) for a day.
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wo Indonesian children, Kanaya, 17, and Abhimanyu, 15, got the chance of a lifetime when they were elected as Ministers of Women's Empowerment and Child Protection (PPPA) for a day. Kanaya is a student from Padang Panjang city, while Abhimanyu is a student from Ambon city.
The two appointees traveled to Tomohon, North Sulawesi, on Saturday, accompanied by PPPA Minister Bintang Puspayoga, to attend the peak of the 2022 International Children's Day commemoration. Minister Bintang expressed his hope that the presence of the two children would help strengthen efforts to combat sexual violence against children in Indonesia.
"We hope that the two Indonesian children who have been elected as PPPA ministers for one day will inspire other Indonesian children to become reporters of sexual violence that has happened to them, and to be present as pioneers for their peers in child protection and the elimination of sexual violence, as mandated by the law," said Bintang.
Based on data collected by the ministry, 11,952 cases of violence were reported in 2021, with 60 percent of them categorized as sexual violence. Bintang also had the opportunity to socialize the Eradication of Sexual Violence Law. It is currently one of the focuses of the ministry.
Kanaya and Abhimanyu are participants in the PPPA’s Anniversary Campaign (SJMPPPA), organized by the ministry, in collaboration with the Plan International Indonesia Foundation. The campaign is aimed at strengthening child protection against sexual violence.
Furthermore, the SJMPPPA 2022 campaign is part of Plan International's One Day Leaders campaign, which is held annually in various countries, in order to foster leadership in the younger generation to inspire their peers and to offer a larger platform to convey their ideas.
"Like through the 2022 SJMPPP, as PPPA ministers for a day, Kanaya and Abhimanyu had a strategic opportunity to convey their ideas about protecting children from sexual violence to decision makers, stakeholders and the community," said Dini Widiastuti, executive director of Plan Indonesia.
Both Kanaya and Abhimanyu got the opportunity to act as PPPA ministers for a day after participating in a selection program that lasted three and a half months in August 2022. They were able to beat 200 individuals, aged 15 to 18, from 33 provinces in Indonesia.
In addition to the two children, the campaign program also selected 10 winners of the group category who will participate in the fight to eliminate sexual violence against children with the ministry and Plan Indonesia, namely the Badung City Children's Forum, Bali; Bandung Children's Forum, West Java; MAPAN Youth, East Nusa Tenggara; Cianjur Children's Forum, West Java; Cheers Indonesia, East Java; Tangerang Children's Forum, Banten; State of Youth Sukabumi, West Java; Network Cinema, DKI Jakarta; Wonosobo Children's Forum, Central Java; and young people in Malang, East Java.
"As PPPA minister, I can contribute more to the protection and rights of children, especially to be free from sexual violence," said Kanaya, who also serves as chair of the Padang City Children's Forum.
Abhimanyu also echoed the excitement to be a minister for a day, adding that he was determined to continue to fight for the rights and aspirations of Indonesian children, and to eradicate sexual violence against children.
"This day as PPPA minister is my motivation and spirit to continue to fight for the protection of children from all forms of sexual violence," he said.
