Nowadays there is a general understanding that the early years of a child’s life are
fundamentally important to provide future health (physical and mental), development and
wellbeing. In these periods children needs support from families, schools, and communities.
A positive start in life may help children reach their full potential, while a poor start may
increase the chances of adverse results. Therefore, providing secured environment and
systems with high-quality services, and minimizing the factors that adversely influence the
health of children play an importance role in influencing child health and wellbeing. For the
same reason, creating the circumstances that enhance good health, development and
wellbeing has been recognized as high priority and primary goal of policy making in many
countries.
In contrast to the above description, many children in Indonesia are still far from being well.
As the fourth largest children population in the world, Indonesia still has significant number
of children who considerably have worse health, poorer developmental and learning
outcomes, and decreased wellbeing compare with the others.
Many children in Indonesia live in unfortunate circumstances. There is a high number of
children whose parents are divorced. Others live with parents that have poor mental health.
Those children are subject to experiencing violence at home and schools. Additionally,
although the prevalence of mortality among children under five years age have reduced in
limited progress since 2000, yet the stunting and wasting are still the major serious health
problems. Drug abuse, cigarette smoke, HIV/AIDS are other major national problems
among children. Lack of financial resources, limited number of schools in remote areas and
a small number of teachers add the gloomy problems faced by school-aged Indonesian
children. With regard to mental health, the prevalence of children suffer from mental health
problems is relatively high in Indonesia. Many children with mental health problems have
no access to get medical treatment. Some of them receive no treatment at all or are confined
in the inhumane conditions, and others become victims of violence, bound or shackled by
family members who have limited knowledge or money for their treatment.
In fact, Indonesia has capacity to solve these problems. The country has diverse cultures,
ethnics, religions and languages. With her richness in diversity, Indonesia has local cultural
values and practices that can promote child health, development and wellbeing.