Abstract
This study analyzes the legal basis for UNICEF’s presence and activities in Indonesia, focusing on its role in facilitating and advocating for the supervision of child guardianship at the Aceh Baitul Mal in accordance with Qanun Baitul Mal Number 3 of 2021 and Minister of Social Affairs Regulation Number 7 of 2024. It employs a normative juridical method, using library-based legal research to collect and analyze secondary legal materials and interviews with experts. UNICEF Aceh plays a significant role in strengthening the child guardianship system in Aceh through capacity building, regulatory enhancement, and community-based legal protection. Indonesia ratified the Convention on the Rights of the Child through Presidential Decree Number 36 of 1990. Through a Memorandum of Understanding, UNICEF has extended its contributions to the Special Province of Aceh, which applies Syariah and Baitul Mal, the institution for managing and supervising the inheritance of orphans. The presence of UNICEF is driven by existing legal gaps and ongoing challenges in fully realizing children’s rights, particularly those of orphaned children. This role is carried out through strategic partnerships with Aceh Baitul Mal and the Indonesian Center for Aceh Islamic and Sharia Studies (ICAIOS), focusing on supervising guardianship for orphaned children. The issue stems from a regulatory vacuum surrounding guardianship supervision after the Sharia Court determines guardianship. Initiated in 2023, the collaboration led to the drafting of procedures for guardianship supervision as mandated by Aceh Qanun Number 10 of 2018, which have been pilot-tested at various levels to support more effective regulatory frameworks.