Not food aid swindle<\/p>\n
I urge all those who read the misleading article NGO blows
\nwhistle on food aid swindle in The Jakarta Post of May 31, 1999
\nedition to consider the following facts.<\/p>\n
A recent study conducted by Helen Keller International with
\nfunding from Unicef found that, in poor slum areas of Semarang,
\nSurabaya, Ujungpandang and Jakarta, between 19 percent and 29
\npercent of children less than two years of age were severely
\nunderweight. Prior to the crisis, the average prevalence of
\nsevere malnutrition in Indonesian children under five years of
\nage was 4.2 percent, ranging from 1.7 percent in Yogyakarta and
\nBali, to 15.4 percent in Aceh (SUSENAS, 1998). These credible
\ndata show that the prevalence of severe malnutrition in poor
\nurban slum areas of major cities is appallingly high and calls
\nfor immediate measures to protect these children's futures.
\nCrisis or no crisis, children have a right to good nutrition.<\/p>\n
In the short term, food aid is the most appropriate and
\neffective intervention to prevent severe malnutrition and should
\nbe provided with urgency, especially in poor urban areas which
\nare among the \"hardest hit\" because of the crisis. The decision
\nof the government of Indonesia to expand coverage of food aid
\nprograms to include the urban poor is a sound decision.<\/p>\n
The extent to which the crisis has worsened malnutrition in
\nIndonesia has not been exaggerated. The seriousness of the
\nnutrition crisis has been under-recognized and not enough has
\nbeen done to protect innocent children.<\/p>\n
Unicef urges the global community to recapitalize the human
\npotential of Indonesia, not just the banks. Top priority should
\nbe given to provision of food fortified with vitamins and
\nminerals for pregnant women and children under two years of age.
\nFailure to do so will deprive children of basic human rights and
\nwill cripple children's ability to live healthy lives, to get the
\nmost out of the learning opportunities of school, and to
\ncontribute maximally to society later in life.<\/p>\n
STEPHEN J. WOODHOUSE<\/p>\n
Representative<\/p>\n
Unicef Indonesia & Malaysia<\/p>\n
Jakarta<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/not-food-aid-swindle-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }