Policies on child poverty eradication in Indonesia: The importance of a common understanding of children and poverty

Abstract

This paper reviews the policies on child poverty eradication in Indonesia. The review covers the definition of child poverty in Indonesian policy and regulation as well as government policies to eradicate child poverty. Based on the review, this paper argues that it is important to reconsider how children and child poverty are defined conceptually, as well as how that understanding influences the definition and measures of child poverty. Regulations and people's views define children and poverty in various ways. Furthermore, the effectiveness of poverty reduction strategies to eradicate child poverty should be contested because of mismatches between concept, regulations, strategies, interventions, and measures of child poverty.