Minister Suharso Reveals Challenges in Current Youth Development

Minister of National Development Planning Suharso Monoarfa revealed a number of challenges faced in youth development today. This was revealed by the Minister when delivering his speech at the Indonesia Future Network event which carried the theme of Superior Human Resources and Principles of Public Policy Formulation, Monday (10/06/20224).

These challenges include the gap in achieving the Youth Development Index (IPP), challenges in health, risk behavior and youth participation in the employment sector.

Regarding the Youth Development Index, the Minister said that there was a consistent gap between IPP targets and achievements from 2020 to 2023. According to him, no IPP achievements had reached or exceeded the targets that had been determined within that time period.

In the health aspect, Minister Suharso said that the percentage of youth experiencing health complaints has increased from 2021 to 2022 to 23.38%. However, this figure will decline in 2023 to 17.21%.

In line with the above, the Minister also revealed the large percentage of youth engaging in risky behavior. According to him, 1 in 4 young people in Indonesia are smokers, the number of smokers in Indonesia is recorded at 24.75%. Meanwhile, 2 out of 100 young people in Indonesia stated that they had consumed drugs.

Next, the Minister highlighted the lack of optimal youth participation in employment aspects. According to him, there are 25.80% of youth who are unemployed, 13.41% of youth are recorded as not being absorbed in the job market.

Apart from that, the Minister also revealed that the small percentage of young people who are involved in the white-collar entrepreneurial sector is 0.53% and the low ATPAK ratio of female to male youth is 64.08%.

“A quarter of Indonesia’s population is young. The number of youth in 2022 will be recorded at 64.16 million. “This proportion is estimated to be relatively the same in 2045,” said the Minister.

“The large youth population has the potential to encourage economic growth and social progress. “Therefore, appropriate policy interventions are very important, to support youth development in personal and professional aspects,” he concluded.

Source: Bappenas