Disregard for Children's Rights in the Face of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Exploring Sociocultural Dynamics

The issue of the disregard for children's rights during the pandemic is critical and demands urgent attention. This article aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the various forms in which children’s rights were disregarded by examining the sociocultural context surrounding the management of the COVID-19 pandemic. It explores the intricate relationship between the pandemic and the role of children within the cultural fabric of Indonesian society. Using a qualitative approach, the authors collected data from relevant informants, conducted thorough observations, and reviewed important documents to address the issue of children's rights being disregarded during the pandemic. The collected data is presented in a narrative format and then subjected to interpretative analysis using three conceptual frameworks: paternalism, objectification, and subordinate domination. The findings of this study illustrate a significant disregard for children’s rights in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. This disregard is attributed to cultural factors that position children as subordinate to adults, resulting in the imposition of adult-centered standards for meeting children’s needs. Furthermore, within patrilineal cultural contexts, children are relegated to the status of objects expected to unquestioningly comply with the decisions of their parents or adult figures. Importantly, children are perceived as passive recipients of the impacts of pandemic policies, with limited involvement in determining their own needs. This study emphasizes that overlooking the potential contributions of children in addressing the challenges posed by the pandemic can give rise to new problems and hinder effective responses to COVID-19.