Save the Children: 11.5 Million Indonesian Children Have Experienced Violence
Save the Children has highlighted the persistently high rate of violence against children in Indonesia. The international non-governmental organisation, which focuses on fulfilling children’s rights, recorded that 50.78 percent of children aged 13–17 have experienced at least one form of violence in their lifetime. Senior Director of Advocacy Campaign and Government Relations at Save the Children Indonesia, Tata Sudrajat, said this figure equates to approximately 11.5 million children. “This must be a concern and a shared commitment to resolve,” he said during a media discussion titled “Safeguarding the Child Protection Ecosystem” in Jakarta on Tuesday, 14 July 2026.
According to Tata, the risk of violence against children is increasing in the digital era. More than three-quarters of children aged 5–17 have used mobile phones, and nearly 74 percent access the internet. “This situation makes the risk of online violence against children even greater,” he stated.
Beyond violence, Save the Children also highlighted the persistently high rate of child poverty. Citing data from the Ministry of Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection, Tata said 11.44 percent of children aged 0–17 still live below the national poverty line. “This poverty increases the risk of children experiencing malnutrition, dropping out of school, and exploitation,” he said.
Tata explained that 4.58 percent of children under five in Indonesia still experience inadequate care. Furthermore, 3.06 percent of children do not live with both parents or their primary caregivers. Meanwhile, around 1.37 percent of Indonesian children are in a neglected condition. “These conditions have made Indonesia one of the countries with a high number of orphanages,” Tata noted.
He continued that another challenge in child protection is the high number of child labourers. Tata mentioned there are approximately 1.01 million child labourers and 3.05 million working children. Child labourers are those who have dropped out of school and work full-time like adults, whereas working children generally still attend school and work outside of study hours. “These figures show that many children are still involved in economic activities at an age that should be prioritised for learning and development,” Tata said.
Another issue reflected in the education sector is the declining net enrolment rate. While the rate at primary school level has reached 97.94 percent, it drops to 81.73 percent at junior secondary level and 64.73 percent at senior secondary level. The literacy rate stands at 92.90 percent. “The gap in access to education means the dropout rate at junior and senior secondary levels remains high,” Tata said.
Furthermore, the high frequency of natural disasters worsens children’s vulnerability. Throughout 2025, 4,727 disasters were recorded across various regions of Indonesia. According to Tata, disasters not only threaten children’s safety but also hinder the fulfilment of their basic rights. He cited the disasters that struck several areas on Sumatra Island at the end of 2025. To this day, he said, the lives of children in North Sumatra, West Sumatra, and especially Aceh have not fully recovered. “When a disaster strikes, health facilities, schools, and housing are generally damaged. As a result, children’s rights to education, health, and basic services cannot be fulfilled,” Tata said.