A Village with 100% of Child Birth Certificates
Not all people know about the basic rights of children, including parents. Merely providing the needs of clothing, food, and shelter are often considered to have officially granted children's rights. There are other important things that parents also need to know, which is also one of the fulfillment of children's basic rights, namely the ownership of a birth certificate.
This happened in Du Village, Sikka Regency, NTT. Residents in this village are indifferent and do not care about having a birth certificate. Many residents do not have birth certificates, especially children (age 0-18 years).
Wahana Visi Indonesia (WVI), the Sikka Program Area, which came to accompany this village in 2016, was here to make the village government aware of how to move towards the fulfillment of birth certificates for children. Yansen Paskalis (54), the village head of Du remembers that moment very well. According to him, at that time WVI came closer to the residents through the Citizen Voice and Action approach.
“They (WVI) care about children's birth certificates. I also felt concerned about my citizens, so that (my) commitment and intention arose to register children aged 0-18 years old,” recalled Paskalis.
Since then, Paskalis, who have the same vision as WVI, have started to move more clearly. He took the first step to form a team to accelerate the fulfillment of birth certificates and cooperate with WVI and the Population and Civil Registration Office.
“We brought the civil registry office to gather the public to make a final certificate, but not one hundred percent were willing to follow. At that time 182 children were not registered. However, the next step we were forced to go down to the house, pick up the ball to collect data again. But still, there are dozens of people who are not aware (of this)," he continued.
However, Paskalis and his team remain optimistic. Then in 2017, WVI trusted Du Village as a pilot project to accelerate the fulfillment of birth certificates. He also did not hesitate to issue a Village Regulation in 2018 related to this issue, so that residents are more willing to care and be actively involved.
“We were supported by WVI. And it happened in the end. The children in the village (already) have one hundred percent birth certificates," he said happily.
He added that Du Village has also declared the achievement on August 10, 2018. Even today, Du Village is still able to maintain this proud achievement. Approach and communication to families is the main key for this program to continue to this day.
Wydia, one of the young women in Du Village confirmed this. For her, having a birth certificate is the best way to get a better level of education.
“Before I had a birth certificate, it was difficult for me to get education in junior high school, because I was asked to have a birth certificate. But, after having a birth certificate, it was easier for me to enter high school, and it was easier to get assistance from the government,” said Wydia.
Now, WVI has finished assisting the village, but the real work done by WVI to this day will be remembered by every resident in Du Village.
“We express our highest gratitude to this institution because we feel that with WVI we are given education as citizens to be more courageous in expressing opinions. The presence of WVI is quite extraordinary," said Paskalis.
Written by: Putri ianne Barus, Communications Officer of Wahana Visi Indonesia
