In Indonesia the Central Bureau of Statistics is
a government institution which has the sole responsibility for regular
collecting basic statistics in Indonesia on the characteristics
and trends in the population, labour force, education, health and
nutrition, unemployment, underemployment, and income and expenditures
through an established program of censuses and surveys at establishment
and household levels.
ILO/IPEC has supported the CBS for 3 times (1992/1993,
1994/1995, and 1998/1999) in conducting Survey on Economically Active
Children in 3 provinces in Indonesia which are West Java (Bandung),
North Sumatra (Medan and Deli Serdang) and North Sulawesi. The survey
in Bandung painted an accurate picture of working children between
5 and 15 years old, which is representative of the whole province
in 1992/1993. After conducting the survey, the CBS put out two small-scale
surveys (Bali and Surabaya) with its own resources. The second supported
survey in North Sumatra provides rich data about working children
aged 5-14 years old in Medan and Deli Serdang which did not exist
for other region. Although small sample observed, due to a rare
case situation, the survey has at least been able to show lights
on the working condition of children below 10 years old.
The survey has also increased awareness of both
the policy makers (about the existence of the problems) and the
data collecting institution (about the existing needs of the information).
In addition, the survey shown the possibility of collecting data
based using the existing regular survey. The result of the comprehensive
survey published titled "Working Children in Medan and Deli
Serdang, North Sumatra, Indonesia, 1995". As for the third
supported survey on the Economically Active Children taken place
in North Sulawesi. The collaboration produced a survey report titled
"Survey on Economically Active Children in North Sulawesi,
1998". The report describes the statistical information on
all aspects of working children 5-14 years in North Sulawesi, the
estimation of working children incidence and their characteristics,
the conditions and consequences of their work and also the development
of sampling methodology.
