Children's helpline in Indonesia
A helpline has been established for Indonesian children since December 2003.
Kids' Line was set up for children in Surabaya in collaboration with the local police department. Forty-six trained volunteers answer the calls and ensure the children calling are passed onto the right person within the relevant organisation.
Some of the issues covered include violence, sexual exploitation, drugs and HIV/AIDS.
Plan Surabaya hopes that the helpline will play a strong role in the fight to protect children's rights. The aim is to build the helpline as part of an integrated children's centre.
The helpline is the first of its kind in Indonesia and the concept of speaking out about their problems is a new one to children, particularly when Kids' Line is closely linked to the police - the police provide the premises and the free telephone number. As one volunteer explained, many parents threaten their children with the police when they do something wrong. Plan and the police department have discussed different ways to get around this problem and encourage children to call.
Ade Rahardja, chief of the Surabaya District Police Department is already collaborating with a national newspaper on a cartoon strip to explain the work of the police and how they are there to protect and assist children.
At the same time, Plan is supporting promotion campaigns, including asking the street children in Surabaya to provide the drawings for the advertising stickers, brochures and posters that have been put up in schools, telephone booths and petrol stations.
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