MoSA and Members of Commission VIII the House of Representatives Handled Extreme Poverty and Stunting in Yogyakarta

Yogyakarta (1 July 2023) – Ministry of Social Affairs along with the members of Commission VIII the House of Representatives conducted a working visit in Yogyakarta Province. This specific working visit of Commission VIII members as in cooperation with the central and regional government to tackle extreme poverty and stunting, especially in Yogyakarta.

According to My Esti Wijayati, member of Commission VIII, extreme poverty and stunting is something that overlapping and it has to be resolved in pursuing Golden Indonesia 2045.

“Stunting becomes a serious problem when we talk about Golden Indonesia 2045. It means that 22 years later, our children are the key, and it also refer to the central and regional efforts to reduce stunting,” she said in between the meeting (26/6).

In 2045 is the time for Indonesia experiencing the golden age. At that time, Indonesia reaches 100 years old and it targeted to be a developed country which can be equal with the superpower country. However, this target may be difficult if the number of poverty and stunting still high.

Therefore, we need a synergy between central government and regional government that can be work together to solve this problem, especially in Yogyakarta.

“The most important thing is that the President’s Instruction on Extreme Poverty and President’s Law on Handling Stunting should be made, and it included some of ministries and institutions,” said My Esti.

Ministry of Social Affairs plays an important role in reducing poverty and handling stunting. According to the BKKBN data, Ministry of Social Affairs’ program are expected can help to reduce stunting number.

“Now, we have to make sure what program that we need to do for reducing stunting, along with its steps and the location point,” she said.

Commission VIII hopes that there is collaboration between central government especially Ministry of Social Affairs with regional government, in order to ensure that poor people can be helped through social assistance. It can be pursued by ensuring the data through self-data collection, so that the social assistance can be felt by the community.

“Most important thing is the moral commitment that we can do it together. The people who are included in the (social welfare) data can also receive the program that they actually need,” said My Esti.

Draft Law Mother and Child Welfare

Ministry of Social Affairs’ commitment is to realize an independency and family resilience in order to build a healthy and prosperous mother and child, that reinforced by the Draft Law on Mother and Child Welfare.

Commission VIII make sure that they support on the draft law, especially in preparing the golden generation in the future. Therefore, House of Representative Republic of Indonesia will focus on early 1.000 days of life.

“We will focus on early 1.000 days of life. It is from the fertilization stage until 2 years old. It because early 1.000 days of life is the key for us to handle stunting and to head to the Golden Indonesia 2045,” she said.

In this occasion, members of Commission VIII not only distribute the social assistance, but also held a meeting about extreme poverty and stunting problem together with the regional government.

“Today, Ministry of Social Affairs with Commission VIII, also held a meeting on poverty and stunting problem in DIY while distribute some social assistances amounting 300 billion rupiah,” said the Head of Integrated Center “Kartini” in Temanggung Iyan Kusmadiana.

The social assistances distributed in the form of nutrition packages for 421 people worth Rp. 89.000.000, PKH Assistance Stage II for 203.473 family beneficiaries worth Rp.156.407.500.000, basic food assistance April-June period for 340.348 family beneficiaries worth Rp. 148.456.500.000, ATENSI entrepreneurship for 9 people worth Rp. 62.065.000 and accessibility assistance (disability assistive devices) for 45 people worth Rp. 153.500.000. The total assistance is Rp. 305.168.565.000.

Present at the event, members of Commission VIII My Esti, I Komang Koheri, Ali Ridha, Lukman Hakim, Hasani bin Zuber, Tjetjep Muchtar Soleh, Moekhlas sidik, Head of Integrated Center “Kartini” Temanggung Iyan Kusmadiana, Head of “Antasena” Magelang Mas Kahono Agung Suhartoyo, Head of B2P2KS Yogyakarta Eva Rahmi Kasim, Head of Social Services Yogyakarta Province Endang Patmintarsih, and Head of Healthy Services Yogyakarta Province Pembajun Setyaningastutie.