When UNICEF starting working in the vast archipelago in 1948, the organisation focused on providing emergency assistance to avert a famine on the island of Lombok.

A year later, the first official cooperation agreement was signed with the Republic of Indonesia to build a milk kitchen in Yogyakarta, the seat of the new government at that time.

In 1969, the Government of Indonesia launched its first Five Year Development Plan, with UNICEF and other UN organizations providing technical assistance.

Over the following decades, UNICEF’s involvement has expanded to cover a greater range of programme areas – all aimed at helping Indonesia realize the rights of children and women.

Today, UNICEF’s work is driven by its commitment to equity – giving a fair chance in life to every child, everywhere, especially the most disadvantaged.

So while the scope of UNICEF programming may have changed over time, the organization’s core mandate has not.

For seven decades, protecting the rights of every child has been at the heart of UNICEF’s work in Indonesia. As a trusted partner of government, civil society and the private sector, UNICEF is committed to doing whatever it takes to help children survive, thrive and fulfil their potential – starting where a child’s lifecycle begins in pregnancy, all the way to adulthood.

On the ground in the communities or within the corridors of ministries, UNICEF’s work in Indonesia encompasses research, policy and programme advice as well as practical support to equitable planning, financing and delivery of essential services for Indonesia’s 80 million children, focussing on the most vulnerable.

In practical terms, equity in action means that quality newborn care in rural Papua is as accessible – and of the same standard – as in the capital Jakarta, or that young children can access safe, quality early learning centres in Kupang just as they can in Yogyakarta.

By overcoming challenges and exploring solutions with a wide range of partners – including children and young people themselves – UNICEF is committed to reaching children who are most at risk and most in need.

In addition to UNICEF’s headquarters in Jakarta, our seven field locations in East Java, Aceh, East Nusa Tenggara, Maluku, South Sulawesi, Papua and West Papua fulfil a key role in addressing location-specific issues and service gaps in areas with the greatest disparities.

By supporting government authorities and partners at district, provincial and national level, UNICEF ensures that laws, policies and services in Indonesia secure every child’s right to health, protection and education – wherever they live.