President Chair Meeting On Child Protection Program

Jakarta, May 14 (Antara)- President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono here on Wednesday chaired a meeting to discuss the implementation of a national child protection program to prevent child sexual abuse and assault. The meeting held at the presidential office was attended by Vice President Boediono, Coordinating Minister for People`s Welfare Agung Laksono, Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Djoko Suyanto, and Women`s Empowerment and Child Protection Minister Linda Amaliasari Gumelar, among several others. Given the increasing number of cases related to child sexual abuse, a national movement is needed to protect children from sexual assault and violence, the president categorically stated. The movement should be carried out massively and sustainably by involving every stakeholder of the nation, he affirmed. "The law must be strengthened, revised, and improved, so that once it is implemented, it will act as a deterrent and become more effective as it will carry a longer and more stringent sentence," President Yudhoyono stated while addressing a press conference on May 8, 2014. He made the remark after holding a limited cabinet meeting to discuss the issue after a series of incidents of child abuse and assault were recently reported in various regions of the country. President Yudhoyono agreed to mete out the harshest penalty to the perpetrators of child violence and abuse by amending the current law to make it more effective in deterring possible future criminals. "I can understand the public anger because sexual crimes on children are serious offences and can cause trauma to the victims," he stated. With regard to the cases of child violence and abuse, he reiterated that the government will immediately implement a program that will be effective right from the neighborhood to the national level, including schools and similar environments to prevent child violence and abuse.