A youth master plan to address Indonesia’s future challenges

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Youth and Sports Minister Erick Thohir said a youth master plan now under development would take global challenges and changes into account so that young people could confront them.

Erick stressed that the challenges facing young people today differ from those of the national movement era. While the 1928 Youth Pledge generation faced colonialism and enslavement, future generations will confront geopolitical and geoeconomic shifts, digital technology and environmental issues.

“All these challenges must become solutions, rather than sources of anxiety that ultimately cause young people to give up,” Erick said on the sidelines of the Wirasena Youth Camp 2026 at Taman Ismail Marzuki (TIM) in Jakarta on Monday.

He cited several global issues that need to be considered in shaping youth policy. According to data, around 65 million young people worldwide are unemployed, while one in seven experiences mental health problems, Erick said.

He said these conditions deserved attention because similar problems could affect Indonesia on a large scale. The government needed to understand ongoing changes to ensure youth policy kept pace with the needs of young people.

He said the development of the youth master plan must involve young people from across Indonesia. The Ministry of Youth and Sports will therefore work with youth organisations and inspiring young people from various regions to hear their aspirations and jointly determine the direction of policy.

Erick also highlighted the need to align central and regional government policies. The ministry had previously brought together diaspora representatives from various regions to discuss youth development and prevent policy differences that could harm young people. The government is also reviewing regulations considered to be obstacles.

“We have also reduced the number of regulations from 191 to four,” he said.

Erick added that these measures were part of efforts to create a more supportive environment for young people’s progress.

Through the youth master plan under development, the ministry wants global change to be treated as a challenge that can be turned into an opportunity, he said. Involving young people is expected to make policy more relevant and practical.