REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- Indonesia is preparing for the implementation of a national action plan on women and children's protection and empowerment in conflict-prone areas, a top government official said here Wednesday.

"In small and big scale conflicts, women and children always suffer the most. That's why they need to be protected and empowered," Secretary of the Women's Empowerment and Child Protection Ministry Sri Danti said.

For this purpose, representatives of related governmental and non-governmental institutions met to strengthen their coordination in implementing the action plan, she said.

The action plan was mandated by the Presidential Regulation Number 18/2014 on the Protection and Empowerment of Women and Children in Social Conflicts, she said.

By having the action plan implemented, women's participation in halting, handling and recovering from the impacts of conflicts in the country was expected to get improved and peace could be promoted, built and preserved within families and communities, she said.

Among the programs, set up by representatives of government and civil society joining the Gender-based Anti-Violence Coalition, are related to advocacy and public awareness campaign of the need to protect and serve women and children in conflict-hit areas.

"The target of this awareness campaign is community members, government officials, and media workers," she said.

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