The voice of the children must be heard ..."
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Children are entitled to participate in the development and social life in their neighborhood, according to Womens Empowerment and Child Protection Minister Yohana Yembise.

"The voice of the children must be heard, and they must be given space for the things that concern their life, so that they can participate in development," the minister remarked here on Sunday.

Yembise made the statement during the Rights of the Child Conference 2015 attended by 31 delegates from various regions in Indonesia.

She noted that the fulfillment and protection of the rights of children referred to the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), which is divided into five clusters: civil rights and freedom, family environment and alternative care, health and welfare, education, and utilization of leisure and cultural activities as well as special protection.

According to the minister, the convention articulates the rights more comprehensively and provides a set of guiding principles that fundamentally shapes the manner in which we view children.

All children have the same rights. All rights are interconnected and of equal importance.

The convention stresses on these principles and refers to the responsibility of children to respect the rights of others, especially their parents.

Similarly, the childrens understanding of the issues raised in the convention will vary based on the age of the child.

Helping children understand their rights does not mean that parents should push them to make choices, with consequences they are too young to handle.

The convention specifically recognizes that parents play the most important role in bringing up their children.

The text encourages parents to deal with rights issues with their children "in a manner consistent with the evolving capacities of the child."

The parents, who are intuitively aware of their childrens level of development, will be able to accomplish this naturally.

The issues they discuss, the manner in which they answer questions, or the disciplinary methods they adopt will differ based on whether the child is three, nine, or 16 years of age.

Minister Yembise pointed out that to fulfill and protect the rights of children is a major task, and it will be achieved with notable results if all elements of the society work in tandem.
(Uu.O001/INE/KR-BSR/F001)

Editor: Priyambodo RH
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