Malang (malangkota.go.id) – Amid the Covid-19 pandemic, Malang City won the 2021 Child-Friendly City (KLA) award in the Nindya category from the Ministry of Women's Empowerment and Child Protection (KemenPPPA) of the Republic of Indonesia, Thursday (29/7/2021). The award won by Malang City is an increase from the previous award, namely the Madya category.
Malang Mayor Drs. H. Sutiaji expressed his gratitude to all parties who have helped Malang Child-Friendly City 2021. This award will be a spirit for Malang City to be even better. Malang City Government is committed to realizing a Child-Friendly City through inclusive development policies.
"Fulfillment of children's rights and special protection for children are an inseparable part of achieving the vision and mission of development," said Mayor Sutiaji after receiving the award virtually from the Ngalam Command Center (NCC) of Malang City Hall.
According to Mayor Sutiaji, the child population of Malang City is 252.694 people or almost 30 percent of the total population of 843.810 people in 2020. This is what makes Malang City focus on creating a Child-Friendly City (KLA) in Malang City. This commitment is realized starting from strengthening regulations.
"Malang City has Regional Regulation Number 12 of 2015 concerning the Protection of Women and Children Victims of Violence, Mayoral Regulation Number 108 of 2019 concerning the Regional Action Plan for Child-Friendly Cities of Malang City, Malang Mayoral Decree Number 188.45/343/35.73.112/2019 concerning the Establishment of the Child-Friendly City Task Force for the 2019-2023 Period," added Mayor Sutiaji.
In addition, Malang City has currently prepared a Child-Friendly City Draft Regional Regulation and has been included as a regional regulation formation program (propemperda) for 2021. This was ratified through the Malang City DPRD Decree Number 49 of 2020 and has been adjusted to Presidential Regulation Number 25 of 2021 concerning the Child-Friendly City Policy.
"We will continue to strengthen regulations, synergize institutions, align budget priorities, and improve human resources capacity through certification facilitation. For example, related to the convention on the rights of the child, child social welfare, child protection systems, child disabilities, child criminal justice, social workers, and entrepreneurs," said Sutiaji.
In addition, the Malang City Government also involves children in the Thematic Children's Development Planning Deliberation (Musrenbang). This is one of the innovations in involving children's voices in the development of Malang City. In 2021, 53 proposals emerged in the 2021 Thematic Children's Musrenbang, 34 proposals were accepted, and 19 proposals were not accepted.
Meanwhile, Minister of PPPA I Gusti Ayu Bintang Darmawati, SE, M.Si said that although it was postponed in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the 2021 Child-Friendly Regency/City award can be carried out in 2021. A regency/city is said to be child-friendly if it has a development system that guarantees the fulfillment of children's rights and special protection for children in a planned, comprehensive, and sustainable manner.
"The 2021 KLA Award is given to all regions in Indonesia that support the fulfillment of children's rights and special protection for children towards Child-Friendly Indonesia (IDOLA) 2030, even though we are currently still in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic," said I Gusti Ayu Bintang Darmawati.
In realizing competitive human resources, the government and society must unite their strengths to fulfill the rights and protect children. Moreover, the number of children fills about one-third of the population of Indonesia. Moreover, said I Gusti Ayu, the fulfillment of children's rights and special protection is also a mandate of the 1945 Constitution, the ratified convention on the rights of children, and the child protection law.
"In general, children have four basic rights, namely the right to live, the right to grow and develop, the right to receive protection, and the right to participate," explained I Gusti Ayu.
I Gusti Ayu further said that KLA is a child rights-based development system that is carried out through the integration of commitments and resources of the government, society, media, and business world. All of this is planned comprehensively and sustainably in the form of policies, programs and activities, which are aimed at ensuring the fulfillment of children's rights and special protection for children.
"In 2021, Presidential Regulation Number 25 of 2021 concerning Child-Friendly Regency/City Policy has been issued. With the birth of this Presidential Regulation, the legal basis for implementing the KLA program in Indonesia has become stronger," added I Gusti Ayu.
The award to regions that have a high commitment to supporting the fulfillment of children's rights and special protection for children, explained the Minister of PPPA, has gone through an evaluation process carried out by a team from the Ministry of PPPA, a team from ministries/institutions, and an independent team. "This evaluation is to measure the performance achievements of 24 indicators that have been set which ultimately lead to the KLA award consisting of five ranks, namely Pratama, Madya, Nindya, Utama, and KLA," he explained.
The total number of awards in 2021 increased compared to 2019, from 249 to 275 districts/cities receiving awards. Of course, this achievement is the result of the strengthening of the role of all parties in fulfilling the rights and protecting children in their respective regions. The Ministry of PPPA also gave appreciation to provinces that have made great efforts to become Child-Friendly Province Pioneers (PROVILA) and appreciation to provinces that have formed Regional UPTs for the Protection of Women and Children.
Minister of PPPA I Gusti Ayu hopes that this award is not seen as an end goal, but as an encouragement to further advance in fulfilling the rights and protecting children in their respective regions. "We greatly hope that regions that have achieved achievements can be an inspiration and can share their good practices for other regions. So that we can move together towards Advanced Indonesia," she concluded. (yon/ram)
