Semarang, October 19, 2022 – Since 2016, Diponegoro University (UNDIP) has played an important role as a university partnering with UNICEF to address various health efforts and problems in Indonesia, and specifically health problems in Central Java.
“In 2016, we established a formal partnership with UNICEF, but long before that even since 2006 Undip has also carried out various activities by providing Undip expertise to contribute to overcoming various health problems, such as the triple burden experienced by Indonesia, sanitation issues, overcoming stunting and wasting cases that occurred in Central Java to compiling a Recovery Plan for children after the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Undip Rector, Prof. Dr. Yos Johan Utama, SH., M.Hum in his speech at the FGD on “Optimizing the Role of Undip in the Implementation of the UNICEF Cooperation Health Program in Central Java”, which took place at Menara Suara Merdeka.
To ensure the maximum role and contribution, Undip needs to ensure the capacity of higher education institutions that can carry out activities safely and in a friendly manner for all the academic community as well as the community and various parties involved. Prof Yos added that to overcome health problems, there should be no parties who feel insecure, no parties who experience or become perpetrators of violence or sexual exploitation within the area of Diponegoro University campus.
Arie Rukmantara, Head of the UNICEF Java Regional Representative Office appreciated Undip’s commitment to ensuring a safe and friendly environment so that Undip’s contribution in overcoming health problems could be more optimal. “Based on Komnas Perempuan data, sexual violence in the education environment mostly occurs at the university or higher education level. As a UN agency, UNICEF has a mandate to ensure that all parties who work with UNICEF have met all indicators to ensure that sexual misconduct, sexual exploitation and sexual violence do not occur within the scope of their own organization,” explained Arie Rukmantara.
Arie also added, “We and all program implementing partners, including Undip, ensure zero tolerance for incidents of violence, exploitation and sexual misconduct. For this reason, it is important to have a complaint mechanism and educate the entire academic community about how the institution has guidelines for the prevention and handling of sexual violence.”
On this occasion, UNICEF also expressed its appreciation to Undip for the issuance of Rector’s Regulation Number 13 of 2022 concerning Guidelines for the Prevention and Handling of Sexual Violence in Diponegoro University.
