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.