Gov’t Issues Regulation on Child-Friendly Cities
President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo on 6 April 2021 signed Presidential Regulation (Perpres) Number 25 of 2021 on Policy for Child-Friendly Regencies/Cities.
The Regulation, which can be accessed at the Cabinet Secretariat website, was issued to implement the provisions of Article 21 paragraph (6) of Law Number 35 of 2014 on Amendments to Law Number 23 of 2002 on Child Protection.
The Presidential Regulation stipulates that Child-Friendly Regencies/Cities (KLA) is Regency/City with a development system that guarantees the fulfillment of children’s rights and guarantees special protection for children in a planned, comprehensive and sustainable manner.
The Regulation defines child protection as all activities to safeguard and protect children and their rights to ensure that the children can live, grow, and develop optimally in accordance with human dignity, and protect children from violence and discrimination.
The Presidential Regulation also stipulates that the KLA Policy aims to create children friendly regencies/cities in Indonesia to fulfill and protect children’s rights.
“The KLA policy is a guideline for implementing the policy for Ministries/Agencies, Provincial Governments, and Regency/City Governments to achieve the child-friendly Indonesia,” the Regulation states.
The policy consists of the National KLA Policy Document and the National Action Plan (RAN) for the Implementation of the KLA. “The National KLA Policy Document serves as a reference for the Government Ministries/Agencies, Provincial Governments, and Regency/City Governments in implementing the KLA policy,” Article 4 paragraph (1) of the Regulation states.
The National KLA Policy Document is translated into the National Action Plan for the Implementation of the KLA policy. The Action Plan consists of five clusters of children’s rights, namely civil rights and freedoms; family and alternative care; basic health and wellbeing; education, use of leisure time and cultural activities; as well as special protection.
“The National Action Plan for the Implementation of the KLA policy is stipulated for the first time for the term of 2020-2024 as stipulated in Appendix II of the Presidential Regulation. The National Action Plan for the Implementation of the KLA policy should be further stipulated by the President,” Article 6 of the Regulation states.
The implementation of the KLA policy includes the KLA planning, pre-KLA stage, the KLA implementation, the KLA evaluation, and the KLA ranking. Further provisions regarding the implementation shall be regulated in a Ministerial Regulation.
Article 8 of the Regulation states that the implementation of the KLA policy is carried out by Regencies/Cities through the integration of policies, programs and development activities of the Central Government and regional governments.
“The Minister shall synchronize the implementation of the KLA policy, while Governors are responsible for the implementation of the KLA policy in Provinces, and Regents/Mayor are responsible for the implementation of the KLA Policy in the Regencies/Cities,” the Regulation states.
In implementing the KLA Policy in Regencies/Cities, the Presidential Regulation stipulates that Regents/Mayors shall establish the KLA task force.
The Regulation also states that the public, mass media and business entities shall play a role in implementing the KLA policy.
The Regulation also includes provisions regarding the evaluation of the implementation and the funding of the KLA policy. The Evaluation of the implementation of the KLA policy is carried out by the Minister every year and every time if deemed necessary, and regional heads (governors, regents/mayors) conduct a periodic evaluation every year according to their respective authority.
“The funding for the KLA policy is sourced from the State Budget, the Regional Budget, and/or other legal and non-binding sources in accordance with the provisions of laws and regulations,” Article 12 of the Regulation reads.
The Presidential Regulation comes into force as of the date of its promulgation, namely 7 April 2021.
“As from the time at which the Presidential Regulation comes into force, all laws and regulations which constitute implementing regulations regarding Child-Friendly Regencies/ Cities are declared to remain valid as long as they do not violate, and have not been replaced with, new provisions based on the Presidential Regulation,” the closing provision of the Presidential Regulation reads. (CEL/UN) (RI/MUR)
