Engaging Indonesian youth as

development partners
Group 5
1. Rizky Putra Pratama (18530017)
2. Risky Anggoro (18530010)
3. Andyka Syahrun Adhiem (18520024)
4. Muhammad Maradeva (18520026)
5. Evans Iranto (18520020)
• Indonesia with its high proportion of youth, home to 66 million young
people between the ages of 10 and 24 years, will soon be in an
unprecedented position to harness its demographic dividend and
accelerate economic progress.
• The period between 2015 and 2040, Indonesia’s approximate window of
opportunity, will not last long, demographic experts argue.
• The World Bank warns that this demographic dividend, a situation in which
people of productive age outnumber children and older people, can
become problematic, unless the country fully invests in education, health,
infrastructure and job creation for its huge youth bulge.
• Following the recent National Adolescent Summit in Yogyakarta, Annette
Sachs Robertson, Indonesia’s representative to the United Nations
Population Fund (UNFPA), shared the UNFPA’s experiences working with
numerous groups to design programs, to formulate policies that affect
young lives and to involve them in the process as the subjects of
development.
• The recent summit was jointly organized by the National Population and
Family Planning Agency (BKKBN), the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of
Public Health Center for Communication Programs (JHUCCP), the UNFPA,
United Nations Population Fund (UNICEF), Rutgers, the Bill and Melinda
Gates Foundation and dozens of other NGOs and youth-led groups.
• The UNFPA, a co-supporter of the summit, is currently chair of the United
Nations Inter-Agency Network on Youth Development (IANYD) in
Indonesia.
• “We have learned that most government programs dealing with youth are
based on the interests of specific sectors. The National Development
Planning Board [Bappenas] and Youth and Sports Ministry are currently
promoting a holistic concept that incorporates the overall development
and wellbeing of young people,” explained Robertson, who obtained her
doctoral degree on epidemiology from Harvard University.
• She said some 25 ministries and government institutions have programs on
youth, currently being coordinated through a National Action Plan for
Youth Development being developed by Bappenas and the Youth and
Sports Ministry, which are looking at a long-term holistic vision and master
plan.
• The government of Indonesia, she said, understands the importance
of harnessing the demographic dividend this youth bulge presents
and is committed to ensuring effective youth programming and
engagement.
• Coordination, partnering and collaboration, both horizontally and
vertically, involving young people will present opportunities for
attending to young people’s rights and basic needs, as well as for
learning to work better with and empower young people, she added.
• Many studies on youth-related issues have emphasized that there is a
great deal of diversity among young people throughout Indonesia.
• “Young people’s views are increasingly being heard and respected, in
order to craft strategies for all young people, to optimize the
opportunities to develop their full potential, and to allow them to live
free of poverty, discrimination and violence.”
• For example, the UNFPA has been closely working with the Health Ministry to
include comprehensive health intervention in the National Action Plan on School
Aged Child and Adolescent Health. The UNFPA also works with other agencies
and organizations on sexual reproductive health (SRH) issues.
• “In many countries, issues related to sexual and reproductive health and rights
and incorporation of comprehensive age-appropriate, life-skill-based SRH
education in the curriculum are sensitive, given cultural and religious norms.”
• “I hope the National Adolescent Summit can become a platform for a regular
dialogue with young people in the future.”
• The summit, she said, confirmed Indonesia has many strong and dedicated young
people who understand and strive to fulfil their rights, including access to
information and services.
• The summit also reaffirmed the diversity of youth in Indonesia, with various
groups of young people articulating varying and specified needs in SRH.
• “In order to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals [SDGs], it is vital to
ensure that no one is left behind.”
• Given some youth issues are still sensitive in Indonesia, particularly sexual
and reproductive health and rights and gender equality, she said dialogue
and cooperation among ministries, government agencies, UN agencies, the
private sector, religious and community leaders, NGOs, teachers, parents
and youth-led organizations and networks is important.
• The UNFPA has partnered with Bappenas and the Youth and Sports
Ministry, which have led the development of a National Development
Index.
• The agency supports youth engagement in UNFPA programming through
the Youth Advisory Panel that comprises several outstanding young
Indonesians, ensuring youth-friendly approaches and promoting youth
leadership on population issues.
• The UNFPA delivered several substantial knowledge products from their
research to enhance the evidence base that underpins national planning
and advocacy on youth development. The Youth Mapping Reports consist
of Indonesian Youth in the 21st Century, Realising Young People’s Potential
in Indonesia Book 1 and Book 2, Investing in Young People in
Indonesia and Youth Monograph Series No. 2: Youth in Indonesia Taking
Advantage of the Demographic Dividend.
• “The UNFPA encourages inviting youth networks to consultative meetings
of all agencies to discuss with young people the issues that have affected
their lives. In addition, we also provide capacity building for young people
to be able to participate meaningfully in policy development.”
• By giving space for youth to participate in policy and program
development, implementation and monitoring, she said it will help adults
better understand and value young people’s perspectives and
contributions, and the other way around, in order to prepare them to
become high-quality human capital in the future
• Developing clear parameters and indicators of success, she added, will be
critical. Also regular monitoring and evaluation of youth programs will be
important to improve youth policies and programs.
• “Exposing decision makers, lawmakers, religious and community leaders
with exemplary innovative youth interventions will also foster creativity
and have a positive impact on the social and economic development of this
country.”
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