MBG and Indonesia's Diplomacy Behind the UN Resolution

Besides Prabowo, Minister of Foreign Affairs Sugiono also brought up the issue of fulfilling basic needs in international forums.

In the High-Level Segment (HLS) Session of the 61st UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Sugiono stated that the fulfillment of human rights must be realized through actions that impact people's lives.

"When children can learn without hunger, families can access healthcare, communities feel safe, and when opportunities are within everyone's reach. This is the realization of fundamental rights," Sugiono said on Monday (23/2/2026).

UN Human Rights Council Resolution

Efforts to bring child nutrition issues to international forums do not stop at delivering speeches or introducing government programs.

Indonesia also initiated a UN Human Rights Council resolution titled "Enhancing Equal Access of Children to Adequate Nutritious Food" at the 63rd Session of the UN Human Rights Council.

The resolution numbered A/HRC/RES/63/18 affirms every child’s right to equitable access to safe, sufficient, nutritious, and culturally acceptable food.

This resolution encourages countries to strengthen efforts to address child malnutrition, including tackling food insecurity and eliminating discrimination that hinders access to nutritious food.

It includes special attention to children with disabilities and protection for children affected by armed conflicts or humanitarian emergencies.

Passed on October 6, 2026, the resolution also emphasizes the importance of early nutritional intervention, including nutrition fulfillment for pregnant and breastfeeding mothers, exclusive breastfeeding, and providing nutritious complementary foods.

Additionally, member countries are urged to maintain and expand national school meal programs to ensure more children have access to nutritious food.

Many substantive aspects of the resolution align with MBG's goals, especially expanding children’s access to nutritious food through school meal programs.

The resolution also calls for linking school food procurement with local food systems, such as small farmers, fishermen, cooperatives, and micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs)—thereby strengthening local supply chains and empowering rural economies.

To support the implementation of this policy, the resolution calls for integrating child nutrition targets into national development strategies, adequate budget allocation, promoting nutrition education, active children's participation, and mobilizing international cooperation and technical support from UN agencies like OHCHR, UNICEF, WHO, FAO, and WFP.

Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Yvonne Mawengkang explained that Indonesia initiated this resolution in its capacity as a member of the UN Human Rights Council for the 2024-2026 term and as President of the UN Human Rights Council in 2026.

"The selection of the resolution's theme aligns with Indonesia's priority program, namely the Free Nutritious Meal program, aimed at improving nutritional status and quality of human resources, particularly for children," Yvonne emphasized in Jakarta on Saturday (10/10/2026).

Yvonne stated that this resolution also reflects Indonesia's commitment to the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The successful adoption of the resolution by consensus among 80 member states was achieved through active diplomacy and intensive coordination among stakeholders domestically.

Diplomacy and National Interests

The elevation of child nutrition issues in international forums is considered relevant to the global agenda. Food, poverty, and nutrition fulfillment challenges are not only faced by Indonesia but also by many countries.

Political researcher and PhD candidate in political communication diplomacy from Sahid University, Didin Nasirudin, stated that Indonesia has a reason to bring child nutrition issues to international forums.

"Indonesia's efforts to raise child nutrition issues in international forums are actually not inconsistent with the global agenda, as food security, poverty, and child nutrition are real global issues," Didin stated via text message on Monday (21/10/2026).

According to Didin, geopolitical crises, particularly armed conflicts in Europe and the Middle East, have disrupted global food supply chains. This situation has worsened conditions for vulnerable groups like children and women.