Indonesia will have a golden generation by 2045, according to the Vice President

Vice President Ma'ruf Amin has great hopes for Indonesia's golden generation in 2045, or on the country's 100th anniversary of independence.

The statement was made by Amin during his online remarks at the "Moving Forward: Local Initiatives in Reducing Stunting in Indonesia" book launch.

"We hope that when Indonesia celebrates 100 years of independence in 2045, we will have a golden generation capable of progressing the country rather than a demographic burden generation owing to stunting," he said.

Efforts to reduce stunting in Indonesia have been underway since 2018, according to the vice president. The vice president underlined the importance of reducing stunting in children under the age of five, as it has the potential to jeopardise the country's future in terms of education, health, productivity, and the economy.

The government continues to expand investment in the first thousand days of human life, according to the National Strategy for Accelerating Stunting Reduction (Stranas Stunting).

"We should be thankful that the prevalence of stunting has dropped from 30.8 percent in 2018 to 24.4 percent in 2021.
This accomplishment is the result of hard effort, ingenuity, and collaboration on the part of all parties involved, both at the federal and regional government levels "Amin took notice.

He also said that because the program's implementation differs from that of other regions, the presence of regional innovations that use local expertise and adapt to various peculiarities of the local area is critical.

He believes that the public can obtain an awareness of the spirit to reduce stunting at the grassroots through the book "Moving Forward: Local Initiatives in Reducing Stunting in Indonesia," where the hard work and dedication of stunting reduction officers can serve as an example to all parties.

"I believe this book will inspire cadres, midwives, nutritionists, public health professionals, and local governments to continue the noble goal of reducing stunting cases in Indonesian children, particularly through efforts to educate and empower the community to engage in and prevent stunting," he said.

According to Amin, the book serves as a means to disseminate creative ideas to all actors and partners in an effort to speed stunting reduction at all levels of government, as well as a form of recognition for local heroes for their struggles.