"Some of the programs that we continue to intensify to fulfill children's basic rights to information and child-friendly participation spaces are PISA and the Children's Forum," PPPA Minister Bintang Puspayoga said in a statement on Monday.
PISA is a center where children can access books, storytelling, competitions, and play activities to support their growth and development.
Meanwhile, the Children's Forum is a platform for children to express their aspirations, ideas, and concerns about the development planning and implementation process.
Puspayoga said that amid the rapid development of the information technology, children have wider access to various forms of information through the digital devices that they use. This poses a serious threat to children.
Data and research have shown that almost all children and adolescents are vulnerable to exposure to online predators, cyberbullying, exploitation, harassment, and exposure to radical content.
"Children are the spearheads that will determine the continuity and success of Indonesia in the future," she stressed.
She said that ensuring that children get the appropriate information easily and quickly is a mandate of the Child Protection Law.
In this regard, the minister called for the strengthening of Child-Friendly Provinces by strengthening coordination and synchronization of efforts to fulfill the rights of children, especially the rights to appropriate information and participation, in all districts and cities.
"To ensure the effective implementation of the two programs (PISA and Children's Forum) and achieve their intended benefits, we must continue to promote collaboration," Puspayoga said.
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Translator: Anita Permata, Raka Adji
Editor: Anton Santoso
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