"The ministry is focusing efforts to improve the quality of children's participation to be more meaningful through a ministerial regulation governing children's participation," the ministry's acting secretary, Titi Eko Rahayu, said on Friday.
According to her, the regulation will govern the provision of a safe and inclusive space for children to express their views and ensure they are taken seriously and followed up if necessary.
"Therefore, we are preparing technical guidelines and tools, such as child safeguarding and risk mitigation guidelines, to ensure child safety and instruments to track children's voices in Development Planning Conference (Musrenbang) at district and city level so the children can monitor their voices and proposals," she explained.
This step is considered important because meaningful participation of children is not merely about preparing and teaching children to participate, but more importantly, preparing a safe and supportive environment to encourage their participation, she said.
"Thus, children are placed not only as objects of development but as subjects as well," Rahayu added.
Furthermore, her party has implemented a policy on children's participation in development since 2011.
"Various policies and programs to fulfill children's rights and special protection have also required the involvement of children, such as Child-Friendly Districts or Cities (KLA). One of the KLA indicators is child participation," she informed.
Regional governments are also required to involve children in the process of achieving other KLA indicators, for instance, efforts to reduce cases of child marriage; check violence against children and bullying, both offline and online; and prevent stunting.
"Child involvement can be carried out through child consultation, collaboration with children, or facilitating children's initiatives as pioneers and informants," Rahayu said.
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Translator: Anita Permata Dewi, Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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