Jakarta, IO – The Ministry of Youth and Sports is pushing forward with the drafting of a Youth Law that focuses on gathering input from young people about the future course of youth development in Indonesia.
“There are some interesting figures to consider. Imagine, 65 million young people worldwide are unemployed, while one in seven young people experiences mental health problems,” said Erick Thohir, Youth and Sports Minister, during a dialogue with Youth Camp 2026 participants at the Small Theater of Taman Ismail Marzuki in Jakarta on Monday, October 26.
“Does this global situation reflect conditions in Indonesia as well? Perhaps it does. When we talked about youth in 1928, the issues were colonialism and slavery. But a century from now, young people will face different issues, even if some of the challenges remain similar,” Erick said.
The world is undergoing major changes, from geopolitics and geoeconomics to digitalization and environmental issues that require collective action.
(Source: Special)
“We must turn these challenges into solutions. That is why, in developing a comprehensive youth development framework, we are inviting all stakeholders to listen to young people’s aspirations. The goal is to ensure that the Youth Law delivers real solutions for them,” he added.
The ministry has streamlined regulations, reducing the number of rules from 191 to four. It also seeks to advance this effort through the Indonesia Youth Summit.
The ministry has invited various government ministries to coordinate their youth programs and ensure they work in synergy. Programs should not operate in isolation, target the wrong beneficiaries, or ultimately fail to address young people’s needs.
“On October 29, alongside the Indonesia Sport Summit, we will launch a website called Sport in Indonesia. We will also launch the Wirasena Youth Career Hub to give young people access to various opportunities, including internship programs,” Erick said.
Previously, the ministry also brought together members of the Indonesian diaspora from across the country to align youth development policies at the central and regional levels. The goal is to ensure that national and local governments share the same policy direction, as young people would ultimately bear the consequences of conflicting policies.
Young participants have shared a wide range of ideas during classroom sessions. Over the next one to two days, they will begin presenting issues to address in the proposed law.
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One session, for example, explored mental health, early marriage, and the age range that should define youth. Some participants proposed an age range of 16 to 30, while others suggested 14 to 40.
“These are the differing views we need to assess and bring together into a shared understanding. That way, when we move forward with the policy, we will have a common direction and perspective. We must not remain trapped in differences and become divided, because division will never produce solutions,” Erick said.
The ministry has consulted with House of Representatives Commission X through focus group discussions (FGDs) with an open response. (rp)
