Jakarta, 14th July 2014 – Young people in Indonesia and around the world are a major resource for development, able to act as key agents for social change, economic development and technological innovation. Indonesia’s 2010 population census recorded approximately 62.3 million youth aged 16-30 years (the definition of youth used by the government of Indonesia). This large number represented over a quarter (26.2%) of Indonesia’s total population. Although its share of the total population is projected to fall over the coming decades, the number of youth is projected to grow to 70 million in 2035.
Recognising the important role of young people in Indonesia’s development, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in collaboration with the Indonesian Ministry of Youth and Sports (Kemenfora), the National Population and Family Planning Board (BKKBN) and the Indonesian Demographers Association (IPADI) plans to hold a seminar on Monday, 14 July, 2014 with the theme “Investing in Young People in Indonesia”.The event will also commemorate World Population Day, which falls on 11 July, and this year takes the global theme of “Investing in Young People”.
“Young people are active agents in their own lives who hold both rights and obligations for the promise of a poverty-free life,” says Mr. Jose Ferraris, UNFPA Representative in Indonesia. “However, young people’s participation in development is still less than ideal, especially when 90 percent of young people in developing countries have poor quality education, training and health services, are provided with weak infrastructure, and experience inequality and exclusion. These factors remain as obstacles for young people to participate in the development process.”
Several policy areas need to be enhanced to overcome these conditions, including post-primary education, work, health, environment and sustainable development, conflict and crime, and civic engagement. Implementing policy in these areas is an investment in young people, and therefore an investment in the future of Indonesia.
“One of the strategies is providing comprehensive reproductive health education to young people aiming to delay marriage, and to reduce adolescent fertility throughGenRe (Generation Planning) programmes. These programmes are implemented in all formal and non-formal education institutions, including universities, through ‘youth-friendly peer counsellors’ at the Centers of Youth Information and Counselling”, says Dr. Fasli Jalal, chairman of BKKBN.
“Young people are experiencing a transition to the adult phase of life. During a period of such transition, young people experience many events that determine success in their adult life. As the Government of Indonesia, we need to work together to develop appropriate policies and programmes dedicated to young people to ensure their well-being,” says Mr. Roy Suryo, Minister of Youth and Sports.
To better understand the situation of young people, their development needs and the opportunities for them to participate in development, UNFPA in collaboration with the Government of Indonesia recently developed two publications, the Youth Mapping and Youth Monograph reports, which will be launched at the seminar on 14 July. The reports contain demographic data on youth and issues related to young people in Indonesia, which can be used by decision-makers to develop more accurately targeted policies and programmes.
“Today’s young people are more mobile, more educated, marry later, have fewer children and enjoy a higher rate of participation in labour market compared to older generations. However, the transitional phase of youth is also associated with increased vulnerabilities. Our hope is that the information in Youth Mapping and Youth Monograph reports can help decision-makers to generate policies that can maximize the growth and development of Indonesia’s youth,” adds Mr. Jose Ferraris, UNFPA Representative.
UNFPA is an international development agency committed to fulfilling the vision of a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe, and every young person’s potential is fulfilled. UNFPA partners with governments, non-government organisations, and the private sector by providing technical expertise in the areas of its mandate to address the needs of the people of Indonesia.
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For more information, please contact Mr. Samidjo – National Programme Officer for Advocacy, UNFPA Indonesia (Samidjo@unfpa.org or mobile +62812 1068 328).
