Kid's low IQs detract from gains of family planning drive
Kid's low IQs detract from gains of family planning drive
JAKARTA (Antara): Reports that millions of Indonesian children are malnourished does not speak well of the success of the state- sponsored family planning program.
The family planning program has been relatively successful in slowing population growth, but the irony is that malnutrition spurred by the continuing economic crisis has posed a serious threat to children's intellectual growth.
Health authorities have warned that nutritional and iodine deficiencies will result in lower intelligence quotients (IQs) among affected children.
Some kindergartens have complained that enrollment has declined over the past several years -- a sign widely believed to indicate the success of the family planning program. But the teachers must be even more dismayed to learn that the few students there are have lower levels of intelligence due to malnutrition.
Food researcher Dr. Muhilal from Bogor says children under the age of five who suffer from malnutrition will have an IQ level 15 percent lower than children who do not suffer malnutrition. The average IQ is 100.
A serious iodine deficiency will have grave consequences for the child, resulting in an IQ of up to 50 percent lower than the normal child.
A recent seminar in Jakarta titled Save Indonesian Children From Malnutrition revealed that 10 million Indonesian children were malnourished and another 17 million suffered from iodine deficiencies.
It is not difficult to predict what will eventually happen to children with low IQs, because even bright children have to struggle for a good education and employment opportunities.
Numerous questions from participants at the seminar worried about the future of Indonesia's undernourished children were raised in the discussion led by Irwan Yulianto from the National Commission of the Protection of Children.
The seminar urged the government to take concrete actions to battle this problem. These steps include revitalizing community health posts, providing better nutrition, improving health services and improving the distribution of iodized salt for pregnant women.
The seminar unveiled a recent study which showed that about 60 percent of children under the age of five did not receive proper health care from the community health posts due to inadequate facilities and a lack of doctors.
Many of these posts stand idle because of the crippling economic crisis.
The seminar, which was opened by Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Haryono Suyono, also said that public and state awareness of the important role nutrition played in the development of children was low. This is interesting because paragraphs six and 24 of the United Nations Convention on Children's Rights, which Indonesia ratified 10 years ago, makes state protection of children and their development mandatory.
The nutrition crisis also shows society -- teachers, family members, officials, etc. -- are powerless to help children obtain necessary food.
Haryono said he had done everything possible to put the issue of children's welfare high on the State Policy Guidelines.
"We are aware children determine our future. Imagine what could happen if large numbers of our children are malnourished," he said.
A recent study of a an impoverished village in West Java by Akatiga, a non-governmental organization, concluded that children's rights were to a large extent neglected because of male chauvinism.
It found that mothers cared more for their husbands than their children. Nutritious food went to the father rather than the children in reward for his "hard work" for the family.
The seminar also concluded that a lack of education among mothers was also partly to blame for the poor nutrition among children under five years of age. Many women do not have a basic knowledge about nutrition, meaning that they over-cook everything, resulting in the food losing its nutritional content.
The seminar called on the greater involvement of the family and the state in improving children's welfare.