Jakarta (ANTARA) - Minister of Women's Empowerment and Child Protection Arifatul Choiri Fauzi condemned alleged violence against children at a daycare center in Yogyakarta City and called for firm legal action and stronger child protection measures.

"We express our deepest sympathies to the child victims and their families. Child protection is a non-negotiable shared responsibility. Any form of violence against children is a serious violation of human rights and cannot be tolerated under any circumstances," she said on Monday in Jakarta.

She stressed that the state must ensure victims are protected and perpetrators are processed in accordance with the law.

Fauzi said the ministry fully supports law enforcement authorities in handling the case in a professional and just manner, while strengthening coordination with relevant institutions, including the Witness and Victim Protection Agency (LPSK), to ensure maximum protection for victims.

"This case is an important reminder for all of us to strengthen oversight of childcare institutions. We will continue to monitor the handling process and ensure optimal recovery for victims," she said.

The ministry, along with local governments and stakeholders, has provided and will continue to provide psychosocial assistance to victims and their families, including comprehensive and sustainable recovery services.

Efforts also include evaluating daycare monitoring and licensing systems, increasing public awareness of children's rights and safe caregiving, and strengthening complaint and rapid response mechanisms for violence cases.

Earlier, Little Aresha Daycare in Yogyakarta was reported to police over alleged violence and discrimination against children under its care.

Police raided the daycare on Friday (April 24), where at least 53 of the 103 children were suspected of having experienced violence.

The abuse is believed to have occurred since the daycare began operating about a year ago.

The Yogyakarta City Police are currently questioning several witnesses to gather evidence.