PORTALJABAR, DISTRICT. KARAWANG - West Java is just one step towards becoming a Child Friendly Province. Of the 27 districts and cities, currently 23 have the title of Child Friendly.

Meanwhile, four other regions are still in process, namely Indramayu Regency, West Bandung Regency, Tasikmalaya City and Cimahi City.

Head of the West Java Women's Empowerment, Child Protection and Family Planning (DP3AKB) Service, Siska Gerfianti, revealed this when opening the Regional Apparatus Forum for Women's Empowerment, Child Protection and Family Planning throughout West Java, in Karawang Regency, Tuesday (5/3/2024).

"We encourage the regents, mayors or regional officials to continue to strive to improve services and care for children. If all regencies and cities in West Java have the title Child Friendly, then West Java will automatically become a Child Friendly Province," said Siska Gerfianti.

According to Siska, to encourage all regions to be labeled child-friendly, the quantity and quality of running programs, both at the provincial and city district levels, must be increased.

"Programs such as women's schools, improving complaints services and resolving violence against women and children, mother and father schools, namely parenting programs, as well as premarital consultation programs," said Siska.

Meanwhile, the Minister of PPPA RI I Gusti Ayu Bintang Darmawati in his speech said that the rights of women and children must be a serious concern towards a Golden Indonesia 2045.

According to him, the number of women in Indonesia is almost half of the population, while the number of children is one third. Women and children are capital for Golden Indonesia 2045.

"Therefore, their rights must be fulfilled. Development with a gender perspective, women-friendly and child-friendly deserves special attention," he said.

On the same occasion, Plh. West Java Regional Secretariat's Assistant for Government and People's Welfare, Dodo Suhendar, said that the large population causes various problems such as violence against women and children.

"Social problem solving must be done through collaboration and innovation across sectors, between provincial OPDs, as well as districts and cities," he explained.

The West Java DP3AKB Regional Apparatus Forum is a forum for cooperation between development actors in the PPPA KB sector, aimed at determining priorities for development programs and activities in city and provincial districts.

This year's forum took the theme 'Cross Sector Synergy to Make West Java a Women and Child Friendly Province, Obstacles or Challenges?'

The event was attended by regional officials in charge of PPPA and family planning throughout West Java, presenting several presenters from West Java Province and the Ministry of PPPA, and was held March 5-6 2024.