Save the Children Launches Major Photo Exhibition highlighting children's lives in institutions – Children are the Photographers
Images taken by Indonesian children living in homes who turned the camera on their own lives will be displayed in a major new photography exhibition to be launched in Jakarta on Wednesday (13 June).
The exhibition, A Child's Eye, includes photographs taken by 60 children living in institutional children's homes in three districts of Aceh province - Banda Aceh, Pidie and Lhokseumawe. The project was run by Save the Children in collaboration with the Ministry of Social Affairs to allow children to share their experience of the Indonesian care system in their own way.
What: His Excellency the British Ambassador, Mr. Charles Humfrey will launch the A Child's Eye, which will be open to the public from 14-22 June 2007. The event will also launch the publication Life in the Panti Asuhan, which brings together all of the photos from the exhibition.
When: 13 June 2007
Where: Hotel Gran Melia, Kuningan.
Kevin Byrne Country Director said: "More than 16,000 children live in over 200 children's homes in Aceh alone, the vast majority of whom are not orphans. These photographs show how children living in institutions have adapted to their new lives and what is important to them – friends, loyalty, protection and the relationships they have with the staff, who for many children have replaced the traditional role of the parent."
Save the Children believes that children are better off in a family environment and is calling for more recognition of child's rights, better practices and care systems in panti asuhan across Indonesia and the need to shift the funding focus from institutions to family-based care. While this exhibition evidences the value of children's homes and institutions as a place of last resort for children in need, it also questions the lack of alternatives for poor children and families.
Summary
This project uses photography and the creative arts to enable children, separated from their families, to voice and portray issues affecting their lives and to help influence more positive attitudes to child participation and rights. It aims to raise awareness on their care situations and the role of institutions in the long-term care of children and young people.
Background
According to a 2006 assessment conducted by Save the Children and DEPSOS, almost 16,000 children are living in panti asuhan (children's homes) in Aceh. Almost 2,600 of them are living there as a result of the tsunami. However, the vast majority of children were placed in the panti asuhan before the tsunami and for a variety of other socio-economic and cultural reasons, including effects of conflict and/or poverty.
Contrary to most of the media reports and general assumption that the tsunami created very high numbers of "orphans", the data shows that the overwhelming majority of tsunami children in panti asuhan still have at least one parent alive.
Both DEPSOS, and Save the Children believe that the panti asuhan play an important role in providing care and assistance to families in times of great need – such as in the aftermath of a disaster or during a conflict. However, these institutions should only ever be used as a "last resort", that is when there are no other care options available in a child's extended family or community.
This project creates a platform that engages with young people separated from families due to economic, disaster, conflict or social reasons from Banda Aceh, Pidie and Lhokseumawe. It is with this aim that children's views and perspectives will contribute to a greater public awareness of particular issues faced by them. It also aims to affect the development of policies and programmes regarding their future care and protection. (e.g., inheritance, quality of care, institutionalisation, guardianship and education)
Selection of Children and Young People
Participants were drawn mainly from institutions panti asuhan, and a few from pesantren, They have come from a variety of circumstances, some are separated from families for reasons of conflict, poverty or education or the tsunami, or as described simply as "neglected" or "abandoned" though the reason is not entirely clear.
Building Capacity of Local Organisations
Facilitators from the following partner organisations were trained in child participation and creative skills training by Save the Children - Sangar Cuex and Rpuk. Their involvement has been crucial to the success of the project;
Exhibitions in Banda Aceh, Pidie and Lhokseumawe and Jakarta
These exhibitions serve as celebrations of the young photographers' work and communicate the views of the young people to their peers, the public, government and non-government agencies. They also serve as forums for discussion, feedback and development of future activities.
In addition to exhibiting the photographic art of the children, the exhibitions will provide a platform to promote key messages that run through this project such as the importance of child's rights, of listening to children, and to promoting improved standards of care in panti asuhan across Indonesia
Follow-up
In June 2007, the young people involved and the A Child's Eye team will meet to discuss how to carry forward some of the issues raised in the workshops. We anticipate that Save the Children staff will facilitate a series of discussions between the children involved and the management structures of the care homes. Save the Children will soon publish a joint report with DEPSOS and UNICEF on the quality of care in panti asuhan across 6 provinces in Indonesia
For more information please contact
Patricia Norimarna
pnorimarna@savechildren.or.id
+62 (0) 812 1088 705
(Bahasa Inggris) Rosaleen Cunningham
r.cunningham@savethechildren.or.id
+62 (0) 811984 901
For more information about Save the Children, please visit www.savethechildren.net
Notes to Editors
A press pack will be available on the launch evening – this will contain this press release, a copy of the publication "Life in the Panti asuhan", and a CD of selected photographs by the young people involved. When publishing the photographs please credit the name (and give name) of th e A Child's Eye photographer and please use the caption written by the Child's Eye photgrapher.
Some of the children and young people involved in this photo initiative will be available to meet and talk with the government, NGOs, representatives of civil society, and the media at the launch event
