Nine villages in the Maluk and Jereweh sub-districts of West Sumbawa District (KSB) have declared their commitment to becoming Women- and Child-Friendly Villages (DRPPA) on Tuesday (May 27). This initiative is part of the effort to support the West Sumbawa government’s goal of accelerating the reduction of stunting. According to the West Sumbawa District Health Office, the stunting prevalence in the region in 2024 was recorded at 7.37%, a decrease from 10.5% in 2023.
Muhammad Ikraman, Project Manager of Yayasan CARE Peduli (YCP) in West Sumbawa, stated that the nine villages are Belo, Beru, Goa, Dasan Anyar, Maluk, Benete, Bukit Damai, Mantun, and Pasir Putih. According to him, DRPPA aims to create villages that integrate gender perspectives and children’s rights into various aspects of life.
“By March 2025, DRPPA Village Regulations (Perdes) have been issued in 16 program intervention villages. YCP and village governments see early child marriage and anemia in adolescent girls as major contributing factors to stunting. This also supports the development of child-friendly villages,” he said.
Furthermore, Ikraman explained that early marriage and childbirth in adolescents can increase maternal mortality and morbidity rates, as well as neonatal and infant mortality. Teen pregnancy is also associated with higher health risks such as anemia, sexually transmitted infections, and giving birth to low birth weight babies, which are closely linked to stunting.
“In response to these issues, YCP—in partnership with PT. Amman Mineral—has collaborated with the Child Protection Agency (LPA) of West Nusa Tenggara and West Sumbawa, along with other stakeholders. YCP aims to ensure that every village has a DRPPA regulation by assisting in its drafting, and establishing Village Children’s Forums and Community-Based Women and Child Protection Groups (PPATBM),” Ikraman added.
At the same event, Hairul, the Regional Secretary of KSB representing the Regent of West Sumbawa, expressed appreciation for the efforts made by YCP and PT. Amman Mineral in preventing and reducing stunting in the region. According to him, addressing stunting involves various components: nutrition and public health, economic empowerment, and amplifying women’s voices.
“AMMAN and YCP have facilitated the drafting of DRPPA village regulations through the initiative of the Village Consultative Body (BPD). This has enabled the formation of PPATBM, SAPA (complaint posts), and Village Children’s Forums. Today, all village heads have read and pledged their commitment to realizing DRPPA. This commitment must be maintained to ensure full protection for women and children,” he explained.
Hairul expressed hope that the stunting reduction efforts in KSB would continue effectively, contributing to lower provincial stunting rates and supporting Indonesia’s national programs.
“We are currently seeing that the stunting rate in KSB is the lowest in West Nusa Tenggara Province—10.5% in 2023 according to SKI, or 7.10% in 2025 according to EPPGBM. The DRPPA declaration is part of our effort to realize the ‘Red and White Shared Space,’ a program initiated by President Prabowo,” Hairul stated.
Dimas Purnama, Social Impact Manager at PT. Amman Mineral, thanked YCP as a partner for designing a sustainable program aligned with community needs and government initiatives. According to him, DRPPA is part of the broader effort to prevent stunting in KSB.
“This program is a reflection of AMMAN’s strong commitment to community empowerment and support for government efforts in developing human resources. Alongside stunting reduction, we are also promoting the establishment of DRPPA,” he concluded.
Hartati, a woman from Maluk Village, appreciated the declaration made by her village government. According to her, the declaration is a form of local government commitment to guarantee the rights of women and children and to provide them with equal access to education, health, economic opportunities, and other basic services.
“We deeply appreciate the decision made by our village government, as our village is now part of those declaring DRPPA. The commitments read aloud by the village heads bring renewed hope for us to participate in public and economic spaces within the village, in pursuit of family welfare,” she concluded.
Writer: Kukuh A. Tohari
Editor: Swiny Adestika
