Plan Indonesia Collaborate with Government and Community in Sukabumi to Eliminate Child Marriage

Sukabumi, December 21st, 2022 – Plan Indonesia, together with the government and the Sukabumi Children’s Forum, organized a series of healthy walks and dialogues for the elimination of violence and the prevention of child marriage in Warungkiara district (18/12/2022) and Sukaraja district (21/12/2022). This activity was led by the government at the sub-district level and supported by Regional Apparatus Organizations (OPD) at the village level to conduct Anti-Violence against Children and Women Campaigns (KAKAP) including child marriage and teenage pregnancy in Sukabumi Regency.

The Head of the Sukabumi Regency Women’s Quality of Life and Gender Mainstreaming (PKHP PuG) Division Ning Lasminingsih, S.IP., M.Si explained that the purpose of this activity was to create a more integrated collaboration between OPDs and community agencies in the campaign to eliminate violence and child marriage. Plan Indonesia’s good practices, both past and present, serve as a powerful mirror reflecting the government’s commitment to eradicating child marriage in Sukabumi Regency.

“Synergies with all parties to eliminate violence against children and women must begin with public awareness of the importance of safe spaces for children, adolescents, and young people,” Ning stated.

Active Participation of Children and Young People

According to the data reported by DP3A Sukabumi Regency, the number of violence against children continues to increase every year. In 2019, a total of 90 cases were reported and in 2020, this number increased to 93 cases. It continues to increase significantly, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic until in 2021, there were 139 cases.

Deputy Chairman of the Regional House of Representatives, M. Sodikin, revealed that the urgency in handling high number of child marriage must start with a stronger policy that directly include the aspirations of children and young people.

“In 2023, the RAD KLA (Child-Friendly District Regional Budget Draft) will undergo formulation, and it is imperative that Peer Educators actively engage in this process to ensure their voices are integral to the decision-making. I strongly urge the DP3A (Department of Child Empowerment and Protection) to design the regional programs, involving children right from the project’s initiation through to its implementation,” said Sodikin.

 Resi, Kirana, Faisal, Selli, Faiz, and Naza were present in the dialogue as representatives of Peer Educators from Warungkiara District and Sukaraja District. They expressed their aspirations for the fulfilment of children’s education rights and the Child-Friendly School (SRA) policy.

“Support from parents, teachers, and the surrounding environment is very important in creating a safe space for children at home and school because children deserve to get their full right to education,” said Selli.

Prioritizing Children and Young People

The prevention of child marriage is one of the priority issues for Plan Indonesia because the issue has a significant impact on the lives and future of children and young people, especially girls. Program Manager for Adolescent Health and Elimination of Violence against Children and Young People, Indry Oktaviani, explained that the active participation of children and young people as agents of change will result in a sustainable impact in the future.

“Meaningful participation of adolescents and young people is important to be developed through positive activities such as becoming actors in Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) education, active actors in the prevention and elimination of violence against children, adolescents and young people including child marriage and teenage pregnancy, whether in schools or villages,” said Indry.

Plan Indonesia through Gema Cita (Generasi Bangsa Bebas Perkawinan Usia Anak) collaborates with the government and civil society organizations in West Java and West Nusa Tenggara, especially in Sukabumi and Lombok Barat Regency, to carry out sustainability efforts to strengthen child marriage prevention advocacy in West Java and West Nusa Tenggara provinces. Gema Cita is designed to continue the good practices of the Yes I Do program in Sukabumi and West Lombok (2017-2020), especially in community-based child protection. These efforts are expected to encourage the prevention, reduction and elimination of child marriage and teenage pregnancy in a more structured, holistic and integrative manner.

According to the Gema Cita baseline survey in 2022, Plan Indonesia identified that most adolescents (>60%) said that they were not confident asking their parents about menstruation/wet dreams. Parents need to understand the development of adolescent reproductive health and build a habit of open intergenerational discussions so children can receive the right information.

Indry hopes that this campaign can become a shared spirit so that the voices, aspirations, and opinions of children and young people can be heard and taken into account in decision-making, instead of becoming victims of violence including child marriage and teenage pregnancy. Therefore, there will be positive communication between parents and adolescents in discussing reproductive health.

 In addition, it is expected that there will be more integrated synergy between the agencies to realize budget allocations at the village and district level for this campaign in the future.

“We certainly can’t work alone, to have a broader and more sustainable impact, budget support is the first step to protect the future of children and young people,” Indry concluded.

Note to Editors:

About the Gema Cita Program

Following the success of the Yes I Do (YID) Program, the Gema Cita Program will work with village governments to work with adolescents and young people to establish and run Village Child Protection Groups (KPAD) – now called PATBM (Community Based Integrated Child Protection) in 4 villages and with schools to establish and actualize Child-Friendly Schools (SRA) in 10 schools from 2 regencies – West Lombok and Sukabumi. Collaboration with regency, provincial and national governments will be carried out to review the policies that have been agreed and approved by conducting policy briefs (summarizing policies) as an effort to encourage the implementation of existing policies/regulations related to the prevention, reduction and elimination of child marriage and teenage pregnancy.

About Yayasan Plan International Indonesia (Plan Indonesia):

Since 1969, Plan International has operated in Indonesia; in 2017, it changed its name to the Yayasan Plan International Indonesia (Plan Indonesia). We seek to advance girls’ equality and realize children’s rights. We also work with young people to enable meaningful engagement in life decisions.

Plan Indonesia, a subsidiary of Plan International Inc., runs a major child sponsorship program. In East Nusa Tenggara, Plan Indonesia has sponsored 36,000 boys and girls with five pledges to uphold their fundamental rights: the right to birth certificates, essential vaccinations, clean water, sanitation, and cleanliness, as well as education.

Plan Indonesia operates in eight provinces through seven thematic programs, including Climate Resilience Led by Youth, Disaster Preparedness and Gender Responsive Humanitarian Response, Adolescent Health, Elimination of Violence against Children and Youth, Youth Employment and Entrepreneurship, and Resilient Schools. These initiatives seek to strengthen the ability of social movements to engage and focus on 3 million girls to have equal representation, equal power, and equal freedom. For further details: plan-international.or.id

Media Contact

Annisa Hanifa, Programme Communications Specialist

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