Perception of Millennial Parents in Denpasar on the Fulfillment of Children's Right

Perception of Millennial Parents in Denpasar on the Fulfillment of Children's Right

by Mirah Mahaswari

Children's rights are an important priority to be transformed in the policy agenda, both at the central and regional government levels. The policy on Child Friendly City (KLA) is an agenda that was first born in 2005 by the State Ministry for Women's Empowerment (now the Ministry of Women's Empowerment and Child Protection - KP3A). KLA is a district / city that has a child rights-based development system through the integration of commitment and resources of the government, community and business world that is planned in a comprehensive and sustainable manner in policies, programs and activities to guarantee the fulfillment of children's rights (Woolcock and Steele, 2008). The KLA predicate will be pinned on cities that have achieved the 'child-worthy' indicator as referred to in Permen No.12/2011, including: 1) The willingness and commitment of regional leaders; 2) A comprehensive data system is available for planning, compiling, implementing, and evaluating the KLA program; 3) Socialization to the community related to children's rights; 4) Child-friendly legal and policy products; 5) The participation of children in local government programs; 6) Family empowerment program

There have been enough studies that have reviewed the KLA, especially those conducted by western scholars. Karsten and van Vliet (2006), for example, in their research stated that efforts to create a child-friendly urban environment are reflected in the role of the road as a vehicle for playing and supporting child development. Meanwhile, Tranter and Pawson (2001), in their writings titled "Children in the City", describe more about the ability of children's access to the surrounding environment in terms of achieving sustainable and child-friendly cities in the City of Christchurch, New Zealand. Other scholars place more emphasis on studies on other aspects such as emphasizing the importance of urban forms or reviewing the role and use of open space as a playground for children, as revealed by Veitch et al (2007). When referring to the experiences of high-income countries such as Sweden and Canada, the KLA program is actually more focused on children's freedom of movement and recreation (Riggio, 2002) or on the impact of urban development on children's health and welfare growth (Woolcock et al., 2010).

This study aims to analyze the perceptions of parents who are millennial generation (born in 1981-1996) about the fulfillment of children's rights by local governments, especially for those who live in Denpasar City. This is related to the award given to Denpasar as 'Child Friendly City' (KLA) in 2018 which was named by the Ministry of Women's Empowerment and Child Protection (KP3A). In this framework, Denpasar considered that it has a child rights-based development system through the commitment of the local government, community and business world - which is determined through policies, programs and activities to ensure the fulfillment of children's rights and protection. This study uses a descriptive method with a quantitative approach, in which survey conducted on respondents to measure their perceptions about the fulfillment of children's rights to the KLA framework. There are five clusters categorized by KP3A according to Permen 12/2011 concerning KLA indicators, including: a. civil rights and freedom; b. family environment and alternative care; c. basic health and well-being; d. education, leisure time and cultural activities; and e. special protection. This study refers to a number of indicator points that are only considered relevant to the formulation of the research question.

There are two sources used in this study, primary and secondary data. Primary data is data obtained from the first source through procedures and data collection techniques that can be in the form of observations, interviews, or the use of measurement instruments specifically designed in accordance with their objectives. The primary data source is a questionnaire, in which the questionnaire will be filled in by respondents, namely parents who are categorized as millennial who live in Denpasar City. Secondary data is data obtained from indirect sources, usually in the form of official documentation and data. Secondary data is expected to help reveal the data needed. In this research, secondary data obtained through journals, books, or previous research relating to research topics related to child-friendly environment, policies on fulfilling children's rights, and millennial parents' perceptions about children, which can later help the process of preparing this research.

This study is aligned with the university’s agenda on socio-cultural and legal fields, with the research topic of state obligations relating to the protection of local socio-cultural aspects: the right to respect, the right to protect, and the right to fulfil. The design of this research will potentially be a policy evaluation for the Denpasar City Government related to the implementation of the KLA program in the field. This research is based on socio-cultural practices that support the realization of a child-friendly environment. Welcoming the presence of Indonesia's demographic bonus in 2030, this research shows its importance on the perceptions of millennial parents regarding the fulfillment of their children's rights. Mapping these perceptions will support the Ministry of KP3A framework, both locally and nationally, including: 1) Making the city environment a safe, comfortable, and enjoyable place for children; 2) Accommodating positive community activities related to education and child development; 3) Encourage the city / district government to conduct public services that favor the needs of children. This finding is expected to be a contribution by the Udayana University academic community to the evaluation of the KLA policy that has been carried out by the Denpasar City Government. University as a component of civil society is truly expected to create a more child-friendly city environment in the future.