Street children are like an iceberg phenomenon, the issue is much larger than what appears on the surface. They are also citizens that must be taken care of.
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Street children are like an iceberg phenomenon, the issue is much larger than what appears on the surface. They are also citizens that must be taken care of.
Kompas published a report on street children that has not received the full attention of the state. Data from the Social Affairs Ministry show that as of 2018, the number of street children in several big cities is around 12,000.
Provinces with the highest number of street children are West Java, Jakarta, East Java, Central Java and North Sumatra. They are mainly in big cities, which also include poverty and slum areas.
Tracing the lives of street children, we will find the lives of vulnerable children and those who have experienced physical, psychological, economic and sexual violence.
There are many things that cause children to run away from home and family, choosing to spend time on the streets to work or live on the streets. They can also be with their families living on the streets.
Poverty and the situation at home that is far from quiet cause children to leave their homes. There are children who work on the street to meet their basic needs, namely for eating and helping the family’s livelihood. There are also children who are forced by their parents to work on the streets because their parents are unemployed or do not have permanent jobs.
The state is obliged to take care of the poor and neglected children, as mandated by Article 34 Paragraph 1 of the 1945 Constitution. The government has tried to take care of street children, but generally their basic needs have not been met.
Establishing a halfway house is not always the solution. Children who are accustomed to living on the streets will find it hard to live in an environment that teaches order and discipline.
Amid the government\'s campaign to improve the quality of human resources through the improvement of social infrastructure, namely education, and the promotion of good health and balanced diets, street children need special handling.
Therefore, we give appreciation to Surabaya Mayor Tri Rismaharini. She handles street children not only because of her responsibilities as a mayor but because of her compassion and sincere attention to the children\'s future with the belief that every child has strength and potential to grow into strong adults.
Although it is not the only factor that drives children onto the streets, poverty is an important factor and therefore poverty alleviation must be continued. And regional heads play an important role in eradicating poverty.
Eradicating poverty can start by giving identity cards and birth certificates to street children and their parents so that they can get state services, ranging from free education, health to balanced diets. The service is the right of these children because they are also citizens.