KPPAD Bali: Exploitation Of Street Children Can Be Criminalized

DENPASAR - The Bali Regional Child Protection Organizing Commission (KPPAD) stated that the exploitation of children on the streets as buskers, street vendors, to begging or brought by their parents could be subject to criminal sanctions, for allowing children to become victims.

"So if parents intentionally exploit and let their children become victims, they can be punished," said Bali KPPAD Chairman Ni Luh Gede Yastini in Denpasar, Bali, Monday, November 8.

He considered that the activities of street children, or children under five who were brought by their parents around the streets to sing, beg and so on, had been going on for a long time and his party had coordinated with the local government to take repressive steps.

If persuasive steps in the form of guidance, supervision and policy cannot be responded to and followed, then repressive steps through legal channels will be taken so that there are no more findings of underage children working on the streets.

"For the completion target, if possible, as soon as possible. If we set the target, there must be infrastructure facilities prepared by the regional government. Now it's still persuasively fostered and sent home but it happened again," he said.

KPPAD Bali stated that children working on the streets is one of the worst forms of work for children, that at the age of children children's rights are to get education, learn and play to fill their spare time with positive things.

Because of that, said Yastini, the Bali KPPAD recommends that the Regents/Mayors throughout Bali can intensify the supervision of children's activities on the streets to the sub-district or village level. Then, there are legal regulations, both positive law and customary law, which both regulate the best interests of children.

"If humanistic measures are not effective, legal remedies must be applied as a deterrent. If positive legal measures are applied by the government, it is necessary to provide supporting facilities and infrastructure in law enforcement," he explained.

In addition, the Commissioner for Education and Culture of the KPPAD Bali I Kadek Ariasa added that this continuous event was due to several obstacles. Starting from the lack of commitment, consistency and sustainability that has not been done.

"Apart from the limited budget, establish communication with other local governments, if there is a lack of budget, of course later it can be coordinated and made a real program, and also submitted to the Ministry of PPPA, so that it can be a concern," he explained.

According to him, commitment, consistency to sustainability are three important aspects for managing planning, programs, and then budgeting.

"This should be a concern, if it happens continuously it will damage the image of the future impression, especially from the aspect of education and tourism in the Bali region," he said.