Violence in schools, homes, and surrounding environments is an issue that has to be resolved soonJakarta (ANTARA) - The unveiling of Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Regulation No. 1 of 2022 is the government's response to address increasingly complicated problems of children, Coordinating Human Development and Culture Minister Muhadjir Effendy stated.
"Various complexities of problems faced by school-age children and teenagers necessitate comprehensive handling by the government and the entire strength of non-governmental organizations and civil society," he affirmed.
During the regulation unveiling event on YouTube on Tuesday, the minister stressed that 41 percent of children and teenagers never had breakfast according to the 2018 Basic Health Research (Riskesdas).
Moreover, 32 percent were reported to be anemic while 58 percent lacked healthy eating patterns and activities.
"One out of 10 youngsters aged 15 to 24 years suffer from mental, emotional disturbances, with the prevalence of depression reaching 6.2 percent while obesity for age seven to 12 stood at 12 percent," he pointed out.
Meanwhile, the 2019 National Narcotics Agency's (BNN's) survey results show that 3.2 percent of the students in Indonesia consumed narcotics, alcohol, psychotropic, and other addictive substances.
"Violence in schools, homes, and surrounding environments is an issue that has to be resolved soon because it is known that 20 percent of teenagers aged 13 to 17 experience bullying," the minister noted.
The other problems faced are gender-based violence, cyber-based bullying, child workers, and influence of dangerous radical ideology.
"Some 45 percent of the children aged 14 to 22 experienced cyber-based bullying throughout 2020. This is the data from UNICEF in 2020," Effendy noted.
Concerning education access and quality as well as skills, it was recorded that only 73 percent of teenagers aged 16 to 18 years and 26 percent of teens aged 19 to 24 currently go to schools, he stated.
"Some 72.5 percent of children with disabilities aged seven to 18 years go to schools and only 26.6 percent inclusion schools of the total number of schools that exist in Indonesia," he stated.
To this end, Effendy, along with other officials, unveiled the Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Regulation No. 1 of 2022 on School-Age Children and Teenager Prosperity Improvement National Action Plan (RAN PIJAR).
The other officials comprised Women's Empowerment and Child Protection Minister Bintang Puspayoga; Education, Culture, Research, and Technology Minister Nadiem Makarim; Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin; National Population and Family Planning Agency (BKKBN) Head Hasto Wardoyo and the Social Affairs Ministry.
"This RAN PIJAR aims to ensure the prosperity of school-age children and teenagers in their school life and health protection," Effendy explained.
Related news: MPR deputy speaker calls for nutritional adequacy in children
Related news: Ministry urges community to empower women, protect children
Related news: Ministry urges regional gov'ts to improve children's quality of life
Translator: Andi Firdaus, Fadhli Ruhman
Editor: Sri Haryati
Copyright © ANTARA 2022
