'Jo Kawin Boy' And 'Jogo Konco', How To Protect The Future Of Children In Central Java

Ganjar Pranowo (Photo via Central Java Provincial Government)

JAKARTA - During the leadership of Central Java, Governor Ganjar Pranowo committed to paying attention to the fulfillment of their rights. Even Central Java in 2021 won an award as a Child-Friendly Pioneer Province from the Ministry of Women's Empowerment and Child Protection of the Republic of Indonesia.

Ganjar carries a number of strategies. To prevent child marriage, for example, Ganjar launched the 'Jo Kawin Boy' innovation on November 20, 2020. This innovation was accompanied by strengthening the role of Puspaga (Family Learning Center) and optimizing the role of pentahelix.

A year later, the governor through the Central Java Women's Empowerment and Child Protection Service, Population Control and Family Planning (DP3AP2KB) established the Care Center Jo Kawin Boy.

The results of this innovation, although not drastically, the dispensation rate for child marriage in Central Java issued by the Religious High Court, decreased from 14,072 children in 2021 to 11,392 in 2022.

As an effort to prevent bullying, exploitation, and help children develop their potential, Ganjar rolled out the 'Jogo Konco' innovation.

This innovation is a website-based application that contains sharing spaces aka places for children to vent when they face daily problems, such as education, health, socio-cultural or bullying.

Jogo Konco is the initiation of the Central Java Children's Forum, an organization that is a forum for children's participation which acts as a pioneer and reporter. They have representatives in 35 regencies/cities in Central Java.

Not only that, Ganjar also created the application 'Apem Ketan' which is an acronym for the Application of Women and Children Vulnerable. This application is effective in registering orphans, orphans or orphans due to being affected by Covid-19 to get assessment services. Synergize with the Social Service, Unicef, and the Setara Foundation, DP3AP2KB provides assistance to 7,967 children in Central Java whose families are affected by Corona.

The chairman of the Semarang City Children's Forum, Dandi Resando, appreciated the innovation of Jo Kawin Boy. The innovation not only benefits members of the Children's Forum, but also children in Central Java.

Through the agenda of the Children's Forum Goes to School, his party has helped voice the Jo Kawin Boy movement. At least 112 schools and 38,000 students in Central Java have been involved in campaigning for the tagline of rejection of early marriage.

His party also held a Talkshow Holds Expo Jo Kawin Boy, namely a forum to vent about the parents of children survivors of child marriage as a material for mutual learning.

''Through Jogo Konco, we interact with friends throughout Central Java. On this platform there are features of Curhat Konco and Japri Konco where friends become reporters and pioneers. If there are positive activities, we are all pioneers of dissemination. On the other hand, when there are negative events, do not hesitate to report. Through Konco Creation, friends can also share stories about their talents such as writing, singing, and others,' said Dandi, Thursday, February 16.

Ganjar Pranowo expressed his gratitude to all parties, for trying hard to make all regencies/cities in Central Java suitable for children so that they become Child-Friendly Pioneer Provinces.

The Indicator of a Child-Friendly City itself covers the percentage level of child marriage, the availability of consulting institutions that provide child and family care services, the percentage of alternative parenting institutions is standardized, and the availability of infrastructure (infrastructure and infrastructure) in child-friendly public spaces.

Ganjar emphasized that children should receive attention. Many of their activities are at home, but not monitored. Therefore, monitoring is needed, whether they are in a state of boredom, stress, whether there is violence or not during the teaching and learning process and others.

He also emphasized the importance of increasing public awareness in preventing child marriage in Central Java. That is why the Jo Kawin Boy movement aims to fulfill the rights of children in vulnerable groups not to be married.

The movement of Jo Kawin Boy requires the participation of stakeholders who involve elements of pentahelix. There are governments, academics, the business world, the mass media, and the community," he said.

The Jo Kawin Boy program itself is a mandate of Law Number 16 of 2019 which includes a minimum age limit for men and women, which is 19 years.

Meanwhile, the reason the Jogo Konco application continues to be intensified, according to Ganjar, is because it is an effective means for Central Java children to have independence. In addition, this application is also expected to reduce the potential for bullying.

"If there is (bullying) it is reported (via the application) then our job as a government is to follow up. The children's forum that makes the Jogo Konco application is good," he said.

Head of the Central Java DP3AP2KB Office, Retno Sudewi, said several activities had been carried out to intensify Jogo Konco. In addition to the governor, one of them is a virtual event commemorating World Children's Day with the theme Remug Konco, Kids Take Over in December 2022 by presenting Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo as a source.

Activities involving Bupete, district/city Secretariat assistants, Children's Forum, Genre Forum, scout, and disabled communities aim to prevent sexual violence against children, online-based violence, and increase child literacy.

The Jogo Konco program itself also received appreciation from the Head of the Unicef Child Protection Program, Milen Kidane. According to him, this platform is part of child protection in cyberspace.

The Unicef survey of 196.7 million people in Indonesia is connected to the internet. According to him, it is like two blades. Because, it is not uncommon for violence received by children to come from cyberspace. The data states that as many as two percent of children aged 12-17 years have experienced violence, harassment, or sexual violence while online.

"With Jogo Konco, I am optimistic that we can work together in various ways to protect children, in a digital environment where they spend a lot of time," he explained.