JAKARTA - Human Rights Minister Natalius Pigai emphasized that the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) program is part of the state's efforts to fulfill people's basic rights.
According to him, the evaluation of the implementation of the MBG program needs to be placed in the framework of improving governance, not immediately assessed as a human rights violation.
Pigai in his statement in Jakarta, Tuesday, said MBG is a development process aimed at improving the nutritional quality of the community, especially vulnerable groups, as part of fulfilling the rights to food, health, and education recognized in various international human rights instruments.
"MBG in the context of human rights is still an ongoing process of achieving fulfillment on human rights needs. In addition, the MBG program is a development process in realizing the achievement of human rights standards. Therefore, it should not be referred to as a human rights violation," said Pigai.
He said that evaluation of the implementation of the program was still needed to ensure that the goal of fulfilling basic rights was achieved optimally. However, the assessment of human rights violations must be carried out carefully and proportionately.
"However, that needs an evaluation that is evaluative, yes. Don't just say human rights violations. You don't understand the principles of human rights if you just say that," he said.
Pigai explained that various international human rights instruments encourage countries to strengthen the community protection system through the provision of health services, education, food, and other basic needs without discrimination.
In this context, MBG is considered in line with the human rights-based approach to development.
According to Pigai, programs that expand public access to basic needs, including nutritional fulfillment, are also in line with global standards developed by various international institutions, including human rights mechanisms under the United Nations (UN).
He added that the modern human rights framework has a close relationship with the 2030 agenda for sustainable development goals (SDGs) which emphasizes poverty reduction, social equality, and empowerment of vulnerable groups.
"In this context, the development approach that emphasizes social equality, poverty reduction, and empowerment of vulnerable groups is an important part of the human rights fulfillment strategy," he said.
Pigai added that MBG is one of the instruments to accelerate the achievement of this goal through improving the quality of nutrition and public health.
"The MBG program deliberately focuses on those who are most left behind first, striving for empowerment and inclusiveness for young people, and marginalized groups," he said.
The English, Chinese, Japanese, Arabic, and French versions are automatically generated by the AI. So there may still be inaccuracies in translating, please always see Indonesian as our main language. (system supported by DigitalSiber.id)
