Women's Alliance Demands Lower Food Prices and End to Free Nutritious Meals Programme

A number of women’s groups under the Indonesian Women’s Alliance (API) held a demonstration at the Hotel Indonesia Roundabout in Jakarta, bringing three main demands to the government: lowering the prices of basic necessities, creating jobs, and stopping the free nutritious meals (MBG) project. A representative of the protesters, Afifah, said women are the group most affected by the economic pressures of rising living costs and limited employment opportunities. “Our young female friends cannot get jobs, even though they are university graduates; they are left unemployed,” Afifah said during her speech at the HI Roundabout on Thursday, 18 June 2026. She assessed that the government’s promise of job creation has not been realised, with conditions instead marked by layoffs across various sectors. The protesters therefore urged the government to immediately expand decent work opportunities, particularly for women and the younger generation. Beyond economic issues, the demonstrators highlighted the implementation of the free nutritious meals programme, or MBG. Afifah argued the programme does not address the fundamental problems facing the community. “MBG is a political project, not a project to provide nutritious food,” she said. According to Afifah, changing the leadership of the National Nutrition Agency will not resolve the various issues in the programme’s implementation. The protesters consequently demanded the government terminate the MBG programme. In an interview with journalists, Afifah stated the three demands were a response to economic conditions perceived as increasingly burdensome for the public. “First, lower prices; second, create jobs; third, stop MBG,” she said. The action was marked by tension between the crowd and police officers. Afifah said demonstrators attempted to reach the Bundaran HI area, which had previously often been a restricted point for protests. She said the crowd eventually managed to reach the location after facing blockades on several roads. “We agreed not to follow police instructions and to advance together as a mass,” she stated. The demonstrators declared they would continue their action towards the National Monument and the State Palace to convey their demands directly to the government. Afifah said the demonstration was carried out as a form of pressure for the government to be more serious in addressing the rising prices of basic necessities and the limited job opportunities felt by the public. “We will continue our action to Monas, to the Palace, because we know the main responsibility lies with the state, with the Palace,” she said.