REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, SURABAYA -- Surabaya, the capital of East Java Province, has received a national award for the most child-friendly city in Indonesia. The predicate was given based to an index made by the Ministry of Women Empowerment and Children Protection.

"Alhamdulillah, thank Allah, we have received this award, but more importantly, I wish all children of Surabaya would make it and succeed in life," Surabaya's Mayor Tri Rismaharini noted here on Tuesday.

The award was presented by Minister of Women Empowerment and Children Protection Yohana Yembise to Mayor Rismaharini at the Dyandra Convention Hall in Surabaya on Monday night.

Upon receiving the award, Rismaharini emphasized that she will continue to work to ensure every child in Surabaya City has her or his right to access education, health, and public playground.

"I want all children of Surabaya to go to school without fears of being able to afford tuitions and continuing their studies. Hence, this is what I have been trying to do, to stop children from dropping out," she remarked.

The child-friendly city award was given on the basis of some indicators, including facilities and the city's efforts to solve children's problems.

With a sense of gratitude for the higher index this year, Rismaharini lauded Surabaya's children, who had performed well in various fields, such as science and research. "I will continue to offer room to children, for instance, in the field of research," she noted.

Head of UNICEF office for Java Island Arie Rukmantara, who attended the award's ceremonial event, remarked that Surabaya deserves to receive the child-friendly city award for 2018, as it has shown major improvements, both in terms of infrastructure facilities and policies, to meet the children's rights.

"Hopefully, other cities in Indonesia would start improving as well, as it will benefit children regardless of where they live," he stated.

Indonesia has targeted 400 cities and districts across the nation to become more child-friendly regions by 2045.

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