Papuaaround.com – The Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI) has called on the government to listen to children’s views regarding the Free Nutritious Meal Program (MBG), especially in light of recent resistance from student groups in Papua. KPAI’s Deputy Chairman, Jasra Putra, made this statement following reports of opposition to the program by the Papua Student Alliance. “One of the key principles of child protection is to listen to children’s opinions,” said Jasra during a press conference at the KPAI office in Central Jakarta on Tuesday, February 11, 2025.
This recommendation was directly communicated by KPAI to the government, which oversees the MBG. Jasra expressed hopes that the government would facilitate a forum where representatives of Indonesian children could voice their perspectives on the program. “Regarding Papua, I think steps to ensure children’s participation must be implemented. We must not let our noble goal of providing nutritional support to children in schools result in resistance,” he emphasized.
Jasra pointed out that children’s opinions could offer valuable insights, which might improve the execution of the MBG. “Children’s views might be clearer than ours. This is why it’s important. This is one of our recommendations,” he added.
KPAI Commissioner Sylvana Maria A also highlighted the significance of ensuring that children’s voices are not manipulated by adult interests. She noted that there were uncertainties about whether the rejection in Papua was genuinely from the children themselves or influenced by external parties. “Regarding the situation in Yahukimo, I have coordinated with our network in Papua, but no one has confirmed whether the rejection is directly related to children’s wishes to be involved in the free nutritious meal program, or if there are other factors at play,” Sylvana explained during the same session. “However, Yahukimo is identified as a conflict area,” she added.
The issue gained widespread attention after a video surfaced on social media platform X, showing hundreds of students from various educational levels in Dekai, Yahukimo, Papua, voicing their disapproval of the MBG program. The protest took place on February 3, 2025, and the students’ demands included a call for better education opportunities rather than free meals.
The KPAI has been urging the government to conduct an evaluation of the program’s implementation to ensure that it meets the needs and expectations of the children it intends to help.
