Deputy Speaker of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR RI), Lestari Moerdijat, emphasized the need for real collective action to prioritize children's mental health in Indonesia. According to her, serious attention from all stakeholders is crucial to shaping a competitive and resilient next generation capable of facing future challenges.
This statement was made in response to concerning data from the Ministry of Health as of January 2026, which showed that through the Free Health Check (CKG) program, approximately 4.8 percent or 363,326 children aged 7 to 17 were indicated to have symptoms of depression. This condition is worsened by the Indonesian National Police records reporting a surge in suicide cases among children aged 0-15, which significantly increased from 604 cases in 2022 to 1,498 cases in 2024.
Lestari, who also sits on Commission X of the House of Representatives (DPR RI), highlighted the strong correlation between mental health issues and a child's history of experiencing violence. Therefore, she urged that the formulation of related policies must involve the child's perspective, so that the resulting solutions are comprehensive and targeted.
Furthermore, she emphasized that children's psychological health is the primary foundation for realizing the Golden Indonesia 2045 vision. Without a healthy mental condition, she fears the younger generation will struggle to carry out responsibilities and global challenges in the future, making collaboration among all parties an absolute requirement in mitigating this mental health crisis.
