"Children with disabilities are Indonesian children who must be protected and their rights must be fulfilled," Puspayoga stressed here on Thursday.
According to her, children with disabilities must be protected from stigma and violence.
Children have basic rights, namely the right to life, the right to grow and develop, the right to participation, and the right to protection, she said.
These rights must be fulfilled by parents, families, the community, and the government, she added.
On Wednesday, she visited Wonogiri district, Central Java, to participate in the "Psychosocial Support for Children in Need of Special Protection" activity for children living with disabilities to demonstrate the government's presence in efforts to fulfill children's rights.
"But we cannot work partially or individually. Synergy and collaboration are needed to provide the best assistance to our children," the minister said.
Currently, the number of persons with disabilities in Wonogiri has been recorded at 10 thousand.
In addition to providing comprehensive assistance to children with disabilities, she said, the government and the community need to synergize to prevent an increase in the disability rate in Wonogiri district.
She affirmed that her ministry is committed to building intense communication with research institutions to further examine the causes behind the high disability rate in Wonogiri.
"We cannot handle this without finding out the cause. We need to reduce the number of children with disabilities in Wonogiri, starting from their birth," she said.
Efforts to tackle new disability cases in the district need to start with educating pre-marriage couples and providing assistance during pregnancy, as well as raising awareness among the public, she added.
"I say that the cause of (the high disability rate in Wonogiri) must be sought from the upstream level in order to minimize the birth of children with disabilities in Wonogiri," she said.
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Translator: Anita D, Kenzu
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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