Deputy Minister for Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection Veronica Tan urged government, communities, businesses and philanthropic groups to work together to build a comprehensive child development ecosystem.
“I invite all parties … to strengthen collaboration in building an ecosystem for child development,” she said on Thursday.
She said Indonesia’s future depends on integrated action focusing on parenting, nutrition, family resilience and safe environments.
Tan stressed that improving child development cannot be handled in isolation but must involve coordinated efforts across parenting, health, education and protection sectors.
“If we are serious about building Indonesia’s future, then we must invest seriously in the early stages of a child’s life,” she said.
She noted that up to 90 percent of brain development occurs before the age of five, making early childhood a critical phase both socially and economically.
However, Indonesia still faces major challenges, including high stunting rates, limited access to education services and weak caregiving environments, she said.
She added that fragmented systems remain a key barrier to delivering optimal services for children nationwide.
Tanoto Foundation Chief Executive Officer Benny Lee said Indonesia has around 31 million young children who will shape its future competitiveness.
He noted that nearly one in five children suffers from stunting, while access to basic services such as immunization and early education remains uneven.
Lee said the first 1,000 days of life are crucial for development outcomes.
He called for stronger cross-sector coordination to align investments and transform fragmented programs into a unified national strategy.
Such an approach would help improve efficiency and ensure more targeted interventions, he added.
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Translator: Anita, Kenzu
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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