Thusday, 29 July 10 | 68 hits | send | print

Meulaboh – approximately 300’s students from elementary, secondary and senior high school in West Aceh District participated in a dialog with the executive and legislative on Saturday (24/7/2010) in the parliament building of West Aceh in Meulaboh. It part of the celebration of the National Children Day initiated by KKSP Foundation (The Education and Information Center for Child Rights) in collaboration with World Vision Indonesia (WVI) Meulaboh.

In the event, the children read the West Aceh Children’s declaration from the West Aceh Children’s Congress held on July. The main points of the declaration are appeals for the legislative and executive to take the children into account as the future generation. The declaration was read by Iin Farlinda, the Chairperson of West Aceh Children Forum, which then submitted the declaration to the legislative and executive.

“We expect “our parents” in the executive and legislative bodies to support the existing West Aceh Children Forum, and have their attention on child problems in West Aceh District,” says Iin Farlinda.

The vice-chairperson of the parliament, Masrizal in the same occasion made statement that the West Aceh Children Forum is decent medium for children to have activities and develop creativity which are useful for their future.

“Don’t waste it, and keep up the good work in a program and special meetings. There have been many forums in the community already. Express children’s views in the existing children forum, later on, they could be passed on to the legislative of West Aceh District. You have our full support,” says Masrizal.

In the dialogue, some children - Rahma from Madrasah Aliyah Negeri (MAN) 3, Bagus from Madrasah Tsanawiyah (MTsN) Model, and Nita, student of Pondok Geulumpang elementary school requested attention of the government on child problems in West Aceh District.

Project Coordinator of KKSP in Aceh, Taufik Hidayat Haharap said that the dialogue between children and the executive and legislative is an important moment to intensify the communication of children with the policy-makers in this district, and it will be held annually in the National Children Day, if possible.

“The government of West Aceh District needs to adopt what the Aceh Besar District did which declared itself as the first Child-Friendly City in Aceh. Such measure reflects the quality of the local government’s attention on children,” says Taufik. (rde)