Stunting Threatens Demographic Bonus, Minister Wihaji Urges Regional Action
Minister of Population and Family Development (Mendukbangga) and Head of the National Population and Family Planning Board (BKKBN), Wihaji, has cautioned that Indonesia will not automatically become a developed nation simply by entering the demographic bonus era. Without superior, healthy, and productive human resources free from stunting, this golden opportunity could be missed.
Speaking at the opening of the Central and Regional Government Synergy Forum on the Population Development Roadmap (PJPK), Demographic Bonus Capitalisation, and Acceleration of Stunting Prevention and Reduction in Cibinong, Bogor Regency, on Monday (13/7/2026), Wihaji stated, “The demographic bonus is a golden opportunity that does not come twice. However, this opportunity will not automatically bring prosperity without superior, healthy, and productive human resources free from stunting.”
According to Wihaji, Indonesia’s challenge is not merely having a large productive-age population. What is more decisive is whether this productive-age group possesses adequate education, health, skills, and employment opportunities to drive national economic growth. He therefore assessed that accelerating stunting reduction must be positioned as a long-term investment, not just a health programme. Similarly, family development and population control must become part of the national development strategy towards Golden Indonesia 2045.
Wihaji urged regional governments to immediately integrate the Population Development Roadmap into regional planning documents, from the Regional Medium-Term Development Plan (RPJMD) to the Regional Government Work Plan (RKPD). He emphasised that population issues should no longer be seen as a sectoral matter but as the foundation for policy-making. “Population issues must be a main pillar in regional development because they will determine the quality of future generations,” he said.
Meanwhile, Secretary of the Ministry of Population and Family Development and Principal Secretary of BKKBN, Budi Setiyono, stated that the success of capitalising on the demographic bonus also depends on Indonesia’s ability to maintain economic growth. He noted that President Prabowo Subianto’s target of eight percent economic growth is a crucial prerequisite for the demographic bonus to truly generate prosperity. Referring to the experiences of countries such as Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, and China, Budi explained that the demographic bonus can be optimally capitalised when economic growth exceeds eight percent. “If economic growth can reach eight percent, more of the workforce will be absorbed, allowing the productive-age population to realise their productivity in real terms,” he said.
To align these policies, the Ministry of Population and Family Development/BKKBN gathered regional leaders from various provinces for a five-day national coordination forum. The forum featured speakers from 13 ministries and agencies, including the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs, the National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas), the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Manpower, the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM), as well as BPJS Kesehatan and BPJS Ketenagakerjaan. Participants received briefings on integrating the Population Development Roadmap into regional planning documents, strategies for optimising the demographic bonus through job creation and workforce quality improvement, and strengthening programmes to accelerate stunting prevention and reduction. The government hopes this central-regional synergy will produce concrete steps to improve the quality of Indonesia’s human resources, ensuring the demographic bonus becomes capital for achieving Golden Indonesia 2045, rather than a missed opportunity.