Indonesia targets 3,000 home renovations for families at risk of child stunting
The Housing and Settlement Areas Ministry and Population and Family Development Ministry will renovate 3,000 homes for stunting-risk families in 2026, part of broader efforts to reduce Indonesia's stunting rate to 17.5% by year-end.
Indonesia targets 3,000 home renovations for families at risk of child stunting
Indonesia's Housing and Settlement Areas Ministry has committed to renovating 3,000 homes specifically for families at risk of child stunting, exceeding the initial request from the Population and Family Development Ministry by 50 percent.
The allocation was announced Thursday following a meeting between Housing Minister Maruarar Sirait and Population Minister Wihaji, who emphasized the need for rapid and coordinated action to address housing conditions affecting child health outcomes.
"We must align our understanding and collaborate together so this home renovation process can run quickly and accurately," Sirait said in a statement.
The initiative targets families among the 8.1 million households identified by the Population and Family Development Ministry as being at risk of stunting, a condition affecting approximately 4.5 million Indonesian children under five. Indonesia's stunting prevalence has declined from 27.7 percent in 2019 to 19.8 percent in 2024, but the government has set an ambitious target of 17.5 percent by the end of 2026, with further reductions planned to reach 14.2 percent by 2029.
Housing quality linked to child nutrition outcomes
Population Minister Wihaji highlighted substandard housing as a critical factor requiring intervention in the fight against stunting, noting that poor living conditions must be addressed through integrated ministerial cooperation.
"There are 8.1 million families in the stunting category, one cause of which is unlivable housing," Wihaji said.
Research has established connections between inadequate housing conditions and increased stunting risk, with households lacking proper water quality and sanitation showing higher prevalence rates.
The 3,000-unit allocation represents a targeted intervention within a much larger national housing program. The Housing Ministry has allocated Rp8.1 trillion for 400,000 home renovations nationwide in 2026, a nearly ninefold increase from 45,000 units in 2025. Indonesia faces a persistent housing challenge, with approximately 18.8 million substandard housing units across the country.
Streamlined eligibility requirements
To accelerate aid delivery, the Housing Ministry has simplified requirements for recipients. The minimum period for occupying unlivable housing has been reduced from three years to one year, while the waiting period for previous aid recipients has been shortened from 10 years to five years.
The initial proposal from the Population and Family Development Ministry identified potential locations across nine provinces with concentrations of stunting-risk families. Among the broader renovation program's regional priorities, Papua province will receive approximately 22,000 units, reflecting higher rates of both substandard housing and stunting prevalence in eastern Indonesia.
The home renovation initiative forms part of the Population and Family Development Ministry's Genting program, which targets assistance for 1 million stunting-risk families through multiple intervention areas including nutrition, clean water, sanitation, and education. Approximately 1.05 million of the identified at-risk families fall into the extreme poverty category requiring priority assistance.
President Prabowo Subianto has approved plans to further expand the home renovation program in 2027, with proposals to increase the target to 2 million units as part of the government's commitment to providing decent and affordable housing while addressing health outcomes for vulnerable populations.