Ganjar Pranowo's Office Intervenes In The Care Of Children Who Are Victims Of Parental Divorce

JAKARTA - The Central Java Provincial Government has prepared steps to assist children who are victims of their parents' divorce. If necessary, psychological or legal assistance will be provided to those affected by the divorce.

This was revealed by the Head of the Central Java Office of Women's Empowerment, Child Protection, Population Control and Family Planning (DP3APPKB), Retno Sudewi, Tuesday, October 5.

There will be two fields that deal with such things. First, the Family Learning Center (Puspaga) as a prevention agent, and the Integrated Service Unit (SPT) which acts in case of cases of violence against children or women, including child disputes after divorce.

"Assistance (SPT) if there are victims of violence against women and children. One of them is if there is a divorce," he said.

Retno said that most cases of parental divorce tend to have an impact on children. According to him, assistance is carried out if children whose parents are divorced, do not get basic rights, or experience acts of violence.

He said that in the future he would cooperate with the Religious Courts (PA), regarding the assistance of children who are victims of divorce. Because, so far the realm of divorce is under the authority of the institution.

"(assistance) if needed, yes, but we will continue to monitor it. If there is a divorce but the child is comfortable (fulfilling basic needs) that's okay. But sometimes they feel inferior due to divorce, it needs psychological guidance," he explained.

Legally, the Central Java Provincial Government has also prepared an umbrella in the form of Regional Regulation (Perda) No. 7 of 2013. In the regulation on the implementation of child protection, a number of policies are formulated to tackle and prevent violence against children.

Most recently, the Central Java Provincial Government and Central Java DPRD are currently updating the Regional Regulation 7, with the addition of points to prevent child marriage.

The Coordinator of the SPT for the Protection of Women and Children in Central Java, Della Belinda, said that so far the most reported cases were about custody and education facilitation. He said that reporting on this problem could also be done in 35 regions throughout Central Java.

He said that custody is a common case after divorce. The complaints that come in are mainly parents who find it difficult to meet their children. There are also cases where it is difficult for children to go to school because their residence documents are still being withheld by their father or mother.

"Our assistance is more psychological and there is legal consultation. For example related to custody rights," he explained.