Jakarta (ANTARA) - Efforts to eradicate stunting, one of the government's priorities, have been mandated by Indonesia's 1945 Constitution, according to the National Population and Family Planning Agency (BKKBN).

"The preamble of the 1945 Constitution stated that Indonesia should advance public welfare, educate the nation, and participate in the establishment of a world order based on freedom, perpetual peace, and social justice," BKKBN Deputy for Training, Research, and Development M. Rizal Martua Damanik stated on Friday (June 9).

At the "Global Friendship for Prosperous Families: Zero Stunting for the Nation" event here, Damanik said the Constitution preamble dictates that the state should develop quality human resources and realize prosperity, and one step to achieve it is through stunting eradication acceleration programs.

Stunting prevention programs are also consistent with the Indonesian government's mission to achieve the 2045 Golden Indonesia Vision at the country's independence centenary, he affirmed.

"We should prepare our children to be the nation's successors, who will play their role as citizens of the world," the BKKBN deputy remarked.

Reducing the stunting prevalence rate to 14 percent in 2024, as targeted by President Joko Widodo (Jokowi), is also consistent with the Constitution's preamble.

Meanwhile, Damanik noted that according to the Indonesian National Status Survey (SSGI), the stunting prevalence percentage in Indonesia in 2022 had reached 21.6 percent.

Nonetheless, the president called for stunting eradication acceleration programs to be continued through collective action among various stakeholders, from the national to the family levels.

The official said various interventional actions have been taken to reduce child stunting, including providing nutritious food for mothers and babies as well as clean water and sanitation facilities.

Moreover, the BKKBN is committed to providing business empowerment assistance for contraceptive users, which in turn is expected to improve the well-being and nutritional conditions of families.

"Hence, we hope this program can encourage active participation in assisting stunting reduction acceleration programs to realize healthy and prosperous Indonesian families," Damanik remarked.

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Translator: Hreeloita DS, Nabil Ihsan
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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