Child Rights in Indonesia 

In 2023, around 25 percent of Indonesia’s population were children. While exact figures are unavailable, an estimated 5 million children are believed to be working in the country’s palm oil sector alone. With agriculture and manufacturing among the top contributors to Indonesia’s GDP, the risk of child labour remains high.

Many families in rural areas live in poverty and struggle to meet basic needs. In sectors like natural fibres, The Centre has found that low pay and lack of stable income force families to involve children in work. As the cost of living rises, more families are unable to afford their children’s education, increasing the pressure for children to contribute to household income.

Key child rights concerns include a lack of childcare at production sites and plantations, limited maternity support, no social protection for migrant workers, and very few safe, age-appropriate work opportunities for young workers under 18 but above the legal working age.