"To impart this information, we are attempting to promote a program to hone the housewives' abilities to protect their children, both at home, in settlements, and at schools," Deputy Mayor of Palembang Fitrianti Agustinda stated in Palembang on Wednesday.
Based on data in recent years, several cases of violence and other incidents involving children as victims have surfaced, Agustinda pointed out.
"Some cases involve children, who fell victim to sexual violence and physical violence, got engulfed in child custody issues, and suffered from childhood neglect," she elaborated.
The child protection education program, running well so far, should be implemented again to prevent acts of violence and sexual abuse against children that are still prevalent lately.
The deputy mayor underscored the importance of mothers and the general public getting a grasp of the issue, so that they could prevent actions that can harm and damage the future of the children and disrupt their normal growth and development.
"Through this program, housewives are expected to understand how to protect children as well as understand the prohibitions and legal sanctions for acts of violence and sexual harassment against children," the deputy mayor noted.
Head of the Palembang Office of Women's Empowerment, Child Protection, and Community Empowerment Sadrudin Hadjar stressed that the child protection education program implemented in the last few years was found to be effective enough to be implemented yet again.
"Through this program, we inform housewives and the general public regarding the protection of children and the threat of punishment for parents or anyone proven to have committed acts of violence and sexual abuse against children," he affirmed.
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Translator: Yudi Abdullah, Mecca Yumna
Editor: Suharto
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