Jakarta, Indonesia Sentinel — Indonesia is ramping up efforts to eliminate extreme poverty by 2026, with government ministries and agencies working in concert to strengthen and expand poverty alleviation programs. The initiative was revealed by Coordinating Minister for Community Empowerment Muhaimin Iskandar said on Friday.
“We are reinforcing and developing various poverty reduction models by orchestrating the efforts of relevant ministries and agencies, so we can reach the target of zero extreme poverty by 2026,” Muhaimin, popularly known as Cak Imin, told on July 25.
The minister emphasized that the latest poverty data from Statistics Indonesia (BPS) will serve as the primary reference for formulating policies going forward. “We will continue to use data as the basis for accelerating poverty reduction efforts to ensure they are targeted and effective,” he explained.
Muhaimin noted that the government’s strategy includes a strong focus on empowerment-based models, which will be supported by optimizing religious-based charitable funds through partnerships with philanthropic organizations such as Baznas and the National Zakat Forum.
Collaborations with the private sector are also part of the plan, particularly through the enhancement of corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs aimed at benefiting communities, especially in underdeveloped regions.
“We are continuing to strengthen grassroots empowerment, especially at the village level, while also improving support systems for the urban poor, so we can create more self-reliant communities,” he said.
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According to the latest BPS data released this week, the number of Indonesians living in poverty stood at 23.85 million as of March 2025, down 210,000 from September 2024. The national poverty rate declined to 8.47 percent, from 8.57 percent in the previous reporting period.
Extreme poverty defined by the World Bank as individuals living on less than $2.15 per day (2017 PPP), also saw a significant decline. The number of Indonesians living in extreme poverty dropped by 400,000 to 2.38 million over the same period.
(Raidi/Agung)
