MAKASSAR (19 March 2021) - The problem of stunting and malnutrition in infants and children is a national priority problem that needs to be handled jointly between the government, private sector and the community.

Social counselors have a role in delivering information and education on the dangers of stunting to community stakeholders so that they are able to become initiators to motivate the community to participate in the prevention and handling of Stunting Hazards.

For information, in 2019 before the pandemic recorded as many as 6.3 million children under five from a population of 23 million children under five in Indonesia. Indonesia's stunting rate is fourth in the world and second in the Southeast Asia region.

According to WHO standards, the maximum tolerance limit for stunting is 20 percent or one-fifth of the total number of children under five who are growing, while Indonesia is still at 27.67 percent.

To support the prevention of the impact and risk of stunting in children, the Social Research and Counseling Education Agency (BP3S) of the Ministry of Social Affairs through the Social Counseling Center (Puspensos) conducts Social Counseling with the Priority of Preventing the Risks and Impacts of Stunting in Children. Friday, (19/3/2021).

According to the Head of BP3S, Syahabuddin, community participation in the implementation of social welfare will be formed when the community has a sense of caring, empathy, mutual cooperation and social self-help.

"Social participation in preventing the impact and risk of stunting in children needs to be carried out on the smallest basis, namely in the village / sub-district, hamlet, RW and RT," said the Head of BP3S when giving his welcome.

Capacity building is very important given to existing local institutional stakeholders as a form of transfer of knowledge, values ​​and skills so that they can convey and influence the community to jointly participate in preventing the risks and impacts of stunting in children.

On the same occasion, the Head of the Puspensos, Wiwit Widiansyah, conveyed in his report that this activity was intended as a strengthening of social education media in an effort to prevent the impact and risk of stunting in children under five.

 This activity was attended by 60 (sixty) participants who were community stakeholders in Makassar City, South Sulawesi.