Two Churches In Yogyakarta Designated As Child Friendly Church

YOGYAKARTA - The Yogyakarta City Government has designated two churches as child-friendly churches as an effort to fulfill children's rights and at the same time strengthen Yogyakarta as a Child-friendly City.

Two churches that have been designated as child-friendly churches are the Hagios Family Church in Sosromenduran Village and the Indonesian Baptist Church Nyutran in Wirogunan Village.

"The church has a role in fulfilling children's rights, preventing and eliminating violence against children," said Yogyakarta Deputy Mayor Heroe Poerwadi during the establishment of a child-friendly church in Yogyakarta, Monday, December 13.

According to him, the church as a house of worship can also be developed as a safe and comfortable place for children to gather to do positive, innovative, and creative activities so that children are able to grow and develop optimally.

"For example, holding religious discussions, holding recreational activities to improve skills, cultural arts activities and many others," he said as quoted by Antara.

Meanwhile, Head of the Office for Women's Empowerment, Child Protection, Population Control and Family Planning, Yogyakarta City, Edy Muhammad, said the establishment of child-friendly churches was aimed at encouraging church programs to be child-oriented.

"There are many rooms and facilities in the church environment that can be used to fill children's free time with various useful activities," he said. The approach of child-friendly houses of worship, he continued, was not only carried out in churches but also in other places of worship, namely mosques. support the strengthening of Yogyakarta to become a true Child Friendly City.

In the city of Yogyakarta, he continued, a number of places have also received child-friendly status, such as child-friendly schools, which now have 451 schools, 196 child-friendly villages, child-friendly health centers and child-friendly playrooms.

Support for the fulfillment of children's rights as well as protection of children is also carried out through the Friends of Children Information Center and Family Learning Center, and Community-Based Integrated Child Protection in each kelurahan.