Great children, strong nation: Building the future from today – Academia

very July 23, we commemorate National Children’s Day: a time to reflect on and reaffirm our commitment to the future of Indonesia’s children. This year’s theme, “Anak Hebat, Indonesia Kuat Menuju Indonesia Emas 2045” (Great children, strong Indonesia toward Golden Indonesia 2045), is more than just a slogan. It’s a powerful call to action to build an environment where all children can thrive, healthy, intelligent, resilient and competitive, while fostering unity in diversity.

Indonesian children today are growing up amid the complexities of globalization, rapid digital shifts and a worsening climate crisis. These global forces present both opportunities and vulnerabilities. Technology, for example, has broadened access to information and creative platforms, yet it also has exposed children to misinformation, online exploitation and significant disparities in access to essential services.

Compounding these challenges, more than 11 percent of the country’s children still live in poverty, according to Statistics Indonesia (BPS). These children grow up in households struggling to meet basic needs, which severely limits their capacity to reach their full potential.

This raises critical questions: Have we truly prepared our children to become the foundation of Indonesia’s golden generation by 2045? To what extent have the state and society ensured every child’s right to health, education, protection and participation?

Let’s start with the most fundamental aspect: health. In 2024, the national stunting prevalence was 19.8 percent, meaning 4.48 million children under 5 still suffered from chronic malnutrition. While this figure showed a modest decline from the previous year, it is a stark reality that one in five children still experiences this condition.

Stunting is not merely about short stature; it is closely linked to delayed brain development, impaired cognitive function, lower educational attainment and reduced economic productivity later in life. The roots of stunting run deep, intertwined with food insecurity, poor sanitation, inadequate parenting knowledge, limited access to health care and socioeconomic inequality. Addressing this issue requires more than temporary aid programs.

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What we need are sustainable, systemic solutions, including accessible health services, clean water, comprehensive nutrition education and robust support for informed, compassionate caregiving. Tackling stunting isn’t solely the responsibility of the Health Ministry: It demands a collective, cross-sectoral response involving all levels of society.

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