Happy and Optimistic in Facing Changes

BIRO PERS SEKRETARIAT PRESIDEN

President Joko Widodo and Mrs. Iriana advised Indonesian children to be enthusiastic even though activities outside the home were still limited during the Covid-19 pandemic. The President and Mrs. Iriana also reminded children to always obey the health protocol. This message was delivered in National Children\'s Day Commemoration, Thursday (23/7/2020).

JAKARTA, KOMPAS – For the first time, National Children\'s Day was commemorated online. Despite the Covid-19 pandemic, children throughout Indonesia were asked to remain happy and optimistic amid various changes at the moment.

On National Children\'s Day, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo asked all children to remain enthusiastic about learning from home during the Covid-19 pandemic. First Lady Iriana also reminded all children to always obey the health protocols in order to prevent Covid-19 transmission.

"Good morning, fellow children from across the country. How is everyone? Hopefully everyone is healthy. Stay enthusiastic and always be happy," President Jokowi said in a video recording from the back porch of the Bogor Palace for the commemoration of National Children\'s Day, on Thursday (23/7/2020).

Also read : Coloring the World of Children

The President and First Lady asked Indonesian children to maintain their enthusiasm for schooling from home and to pray that the pandemic would soon end. That way, all Indonesian children can get back to school together with their teachers and friends.

In addition to being enlivened by the greetings of President Jokowi and First Lady Iriana for Indonesian children, this year’s National Children’s Day, which carries the theme "Children Get Protected, Indonesia Advances" and the tagline #AnakIndonesia-GembiradiRumah, also saw performances by children from disadvantaged regions, refugees, children with disabilities, children with special needs and children affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Also read: Nurturing Children from an Early Age

KOMPAS/BAHANA PATRIA GUPTA

Children are taught how to wash their hands properly during a 2020 National Children\'s Day celebration with the theme, Protected Children, Advanced Indonesia. The event was organized and hosted by the Sidoarjo Police in the Pepelegi village hall, Waru district, Sidoarjo, East Java, on Wednesday (22/7/2020). The celebration was held under strict health protocols and featured children singing as well as information about COVID-19 and how to prevent it.

On the same occasion, Women\'s Empowerment and Child Protection Minister I Gusti Ayu Bintang Darmawati asked the children to spend spare time continuing to learn and develop themselves with happy hearts. "I believe that this difficult situation will not be a barrier for you to achieve your goals, but rather it will be a challenge to think creatively and never give up," she said.

Bintang advised parents and caregivers to be patient, creative and innovative, provide a sense of security and build communication with children during the pandemic. "They and their opinions need to be heard, educated, fostered and assisted when doing the assignments for the distance learning process. The challenges we currently face are not easy. I understand that parents still have a workload from the office while accompanying their children at home," she said.

Child abuse

During the last four years, violence against children in the form of sexual exploitation, especially through the internet, has become increasingly alarming. From 2016 to 2020, 926 requests for protection of children were made to the Witness and Victim Protection Agency (LPSK).

"As many as 482 of them were victims of sexual violence, 133 children were victims of trafficking in persons and the remainder were related to various cases where children were the victims. In fact, 106 children were victims of sexual trafficking exploitation," said LPSK chairman Edwin Partogi Pasaribu.

They and their opinions need to be heard, educated, fostered and assisted when doing the assignments for the distance learning process.

He warned that if the Covid-19 epidemic continued unabated and led to an economic crisis, this could potentially mean that children from poor families will be pressured into helping with the family’s finances rather than going to school. "Under such conditions, children are at risk of being sold as prostitutes for an easy income without competition," he said.

Also read : Going the Extra Mile in Taking Care of Children

KOMPAS/WILIBRORDUS MEGANDIKA WICAKSONO

Children playing saron at Saiman\'s house in Karangrau Village, Banyumas, Central Java, Sunday (7/7/2020).

In South Sumatra, 127 child abuse cases were reported from January to July 2020. These cases included physical violence, psychological violence, sexual abuse, child exploitation, neglect and human trafficking.

The number of cases of child abuse from January to July this year is not far off the total number of cases in 2019, which was 193 cases. "It is very likely that the number of cases in 2020 will be much higher than last year," said acting head of the South Sumatra Women Empowerment and Child Protection Agency, Fitriana.

Also read : Child Psychology Affected During Outbreak

The increase in cases of violence against children was due to the declining ability of parents to make ends meet. This is worsened by the fact that many parents have lost their jobs due to the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic.

In Ambon, Maluku, the Covid-19 pandemic has forced children to help their parents find money. They became market vendors, selling around in villages, selling newspapers at traffic lights and parking attendants.

An observer of children\'s problems in Maluku, Jusmelinda Holle, said the economic pressure caused by the pandemic made children work to help their parents. During the pandemic, the Southeast Sulawesi Women\'s Association recorded five cases of child sexual violence in Kendari.

(SON/INA/RAM/FRN/JAL).