Street Children Will Be A Thing In The Past By The End Of Next Year

Posted on Jan 27, 2011

The Government has targeted to iron out street children in Jakarta by the end of the next year by providing vocational school and skills classes for abandoned children.

“By the end of 2011 there will be no more street children in Jakarta. And Insha Allah by 2014, there will be no more street children in Indonesia, “said Social Affairs Minister, Salim Al Jufri Segaf at the Social Ministry Gathering event with mass media in the restaurant Bumbu Desa, Cikini, Jakarta, Tuesday.

Right now, he explained, the number of abandoned children all over Indonesia is around 5.4 million. “The number is, probably about less than 10 percent of the total number of children,” he said.

No More Street Kids in Jakarta by 2011

However, Salim stressed that even though the target as well as additional budgets provided for this program can only eliminate abandoned children completely in Indonesia by 2014, the short term plan for 2011 is still very important “The program is done in steps but we will do whatever we can”, Salim said.

As for current raid conducted by the Ministry to get those abandoned children, the Minister says that those raids are not violent and conducted by following humanitarian approach by setting up shelters with cooperation with NGOs inside and outside the county.

“Many street children are afraid to go home if they don’t bring money. The government needs to gives them money deposited in saving accounts. The children are also taught to write, reading and numeracy in the halfway house, “Salim added.

The Minister also called upon the other 6 Ministries as well as the Police to work together to achieve the 2014 target and improve the welfare of abandoned children. The seven ministries are Ministry of Social Affairs, Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Religious Affairs, Ministry of Women and Children, and Ministry of Justice and Human Rights. :”Obviously each Ministry will have their own obligation, however, we will continue to work together and make sure the abandoned children problem is properly addresses” says the Minister.

An agreement has been signed with those other ministries which was in effect from the date of signing to 5 years.

For Jakarta alone, the target is to not have children at every corner like we have now. And although this target may be difficult, he remains optimistic.

The Minister admitted the poverty problem still knock the availability of funds. The funds provided for the Social Ministry this year reached USD 400 but felt still insufficient when compared to existing requirements.