I was impressed
by their dedication to learning, even though the teachers allocated to the
prison school often don’t come and health services are erratic. The children, all
of them boys, dream of continuing their education and leading productive lives
in their community upon release.
“I just
want to go back to school when I get out,” said Hadi*. In prison, the boys have
been learning art, music, drama and practical skills like printing. The boys
are selling their work as part of an NGO-supported project to promote their
return to community life.
“Children
get arrested for crimes because of peer pressure,” said Armo*, “or because they
are neglected at home. What we need is support, and the opportunity to become
better citizens.”
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| Artwork by the boys in Klaten prison, for sale ©UNICEF Indonesia/2014/Lauren Rumble |
The
boys have created their own song in punk rock about freedom and dreams.
UNICEF
supports government and civil society partners to implement children’s right to
protection and justice - including children in conflict with the law in
Indonesia. Under the Convention on the Rights of the Child, ratified by the
Government of Indonesia, detention is the last resort for children who commit
crimes.
UNICEF
Indonesia advocates for full implementation of the new juvenile justice law
which should enter into force in late 2014. The new law promotes
community-based justice and access to legal assistance for all children in
contact with the law.
In
Klaten, authorities are working to reduce the number of children in prison.
Numbers have decreased from 47 in 2012 to 5 in 2014. In the past, children
could be imprisoned for petty crimes like minor theft but the new law is
changing this practice.
Children
in prison need their cases to be reviewed regularly by a lawyer, says the
government authorities managing the prison facilities in Klaten. They also need
their cases monitored upon release to make sure they are safe and contribute
positively to their society.
The
Child Forum in Klaten agrees about advocating for the rights of all children in
detention to health, legal and education support. “They are children, too,” said
Karina Faiz Hanifah, the Chairperson of the Child Forum.
 |
| Members of the Child Forum, Klaten ©UNICEF Indonesia/2014/Lauren Rumble |
UNICEF thanks the Government of Norway for its generous financial support to this work.
*not
their real names
