Arjun (23) serves as the leader of one of the Community-Based Integrated Child Protection groups (Perlindungan Anak Terpadu Berbasis Masyarakat or PATBM) in North Luwu, South Sulawesi. Despite his young age, he actively leads his older peers within the group. Together, they work towards supporting the fulfillment of children’s rights in the village, including child protection issues.
After the formation of the PATBM group in 2021, Arjun, along with Bunga, Lustin, Riswan, and other members, initiated mapping and analyzing issues related to children in their village. This effort followed their training from Save the Children and the Wallacea Foundation under a child protection program supported by MARS.
“Apparently, our village has the potential for undesirable incidents related to children,” said Arjun.
The mapping process began with collecting data on the number of children and their issues. Subsequently, they analyzed the causes of each problem. For instance, if there were children not attending school, they investigated the reasons and potential consequences. From this, they concluded that only two factors prevented children in their village from attending school: working child and economic factors.
Regarding the child labor cases, they implemented remediation. Delving further into economic factors, they identified the root issue as incomplete identification documents.
One case they discovered involved two disabled children who were not registered in the local government assistance program due to incomplete population documents. After assisting with the population documentation, the PATBM group promptly submitted a request to the Social Affairs Office. This effort succeeded, with the Head of the Social Affairs Office visiting the two disabled children and helping activate the free national health coverage (JKN) service from BPJS.
Beyond this, the PATBM referrals led to the Social Affairs Office providing assistance for home repairs and wheelchairs for physically disabled children, as well as aiding intellectually disabled children in attending culinary skills training in Makassar City.
Another case encountered by Arjun and the PATBM group involved ensuring access to national health coverage for newborns not yet registered. One day, a 40-day-old baby needed special treatment for a health condition. As the baby was not registered in the Integrated Social Welfare Data of the village, the JKN BPJS service for the baby was inactive.
However, due to ongoing advocacy by PATBM to the local government, the JKN service could be activated at the right time. Initially, the JKN activation process for the baby took a month. However, after being referred to another department, emergency coverage for the child was available. Vita*, the baby’s mother, expressed gratitude.
“Alhamdulillah, there is now JKN BPJS after arranging the child’s identity card (KIA). Before BPJS existed, we struggled to pay for the hospital. The room alone cost Rp150,000 ($10) per night, not including medications,” said Vita*.
After these cases and two years of PATBM activities, more people began regularly discussing their issues with PATBM.
“They are happy there are PATBM members who connect to the village government. People feel a bit formal when going to the government. Because we are seen as young people, they are not as formal when meeting us. After that, we become the bridge to the village government if needed. Sometimes, they are a bit less confident,” explained Arjun.
In addition to case handling, PATBM also conducts education on positive parenting and prevention of child marriages. Bunga, a PATBM member and a preschool teacher in the village, after training from Save the Children, began by visiting each hamlet, gathering at least 15 mothers, and conducting a series of sessions on parenting for children aged 0 to 18.
“Alhamdulillah, the mothers here are interested, and there is a change in parenting styles. There was a mother who, despite being a worker, used to discipline her child harshly. But since we got involved, Alhamdulillah, there has been a change among the mothers. A 3-year-old child is now attending school, entering my preschool. I encourage parents that enrolling a child in preschool at ages 3 to 4 is free,” explained Bunga.
Regarding child marriage cases, the numbers have decreased. In 2017, there were four child marriage cases. However, by 2022, the number had decreased to one child marriage. PATBM’s approach to stopping child marriages begins when they hear about potential arranged marriages.
“We convey the negative effects. If the bride is still young, when she has children, the risk of diseases is high. Then, if it’s an informal marriage, she might be left by her husband, and the child won’t get their rights,” explained Lustin, a PATBM member.
Joining PATBM made Lustin realize that she was quite strict in raising her children. After learning about parenting from the modules, she began speaking more gently. Additionally, she experienced firsthand what gender equality meant. Through PATBM, she could express her opinions like the men in every activity.
Initially, she faced rejection from non-PATBM men. During activities, she often heard that what Lustin was doing was men’s business and not women’s. She was also considered inappropriate because she did not pursue higher education.
“That was the response I got from them. Now, finally, some are willing, slowly, one or two people. Many are still skeptical, but some also say, ‘Oh yes, that’s how it is.’ Maybe men are surprised. We used to be silent, and now we speak up,” Lustin explained. •
*) Names are disguised to protect the sources.