JAYAPURA – The Government of Papua Province, through the Assistant for Economic Affairs and People's Development of the Papua Regional Secretariat, Setyo Wahyudi, stated that regional development cannot be separated from improving the quality of human resources.

Children, he said, are the most valuable asset of the next generation.

This was conveyed by Wahyudi during a training on the integration guideline for regional planning and budgeting for the Special Protection of Children (PKA) program into the Provincial/Regency/City Regional Medium-Term Development Plan and Strategic Plan in Papua and Southwest Papua Provinces on Tuesday (June 3).

“Children will become outstanding individuals if their rights are fully fulfilled,” said Wahyudi.

According to him, children in Papua and Southwest Papua still face serious challenges such as violence, neglect, glue (aibon) abuse, and online sexual exploitation.

This condition indicates that the child protection system remains weak and needs to be systematically strengthened, based on accurate data and integrated across sectors.

“This training is an important step in building a stronger child protection system by mainstreaming Special Protection of Children into regional planning documents such as the Regional Medium-Term Development Plan and the Strategic Plans of local government agencies,” he explained.

He also expressed hope that future policies would be not only responsive but also preventive and participatory.

“If we truly aim to realize a Golden Indonesia 2045, then children must be given space to grow and dream. A child-friendly city must become a shared vision, including in Jayapura and Sorong,” he concluded. ***