Central Java targets lower poverty and addresses stunting rates

Central Java is addressing significant social challenges regarding public health and economic welfare. As of August 2026, stunting affects 178,600 children in the province. While Wonosobo reports the highest percentage of stunting at 17.67%, Tegal records the highest absolute number with 12,794 cases. In response, the provincial Health Office is looking to Demak and Semarang as role models, as they have achieved low stunting rates of 2.00% and 2.83%, respectively.

Simultaneously, the provincial government aims to reduce the poverty rate from 9.21% to 8.70% by the end of 2026. Vice Governor Taj Yasin Maimoen highlighted efforts to tackle the housing backlog, which has decreased to approximately 990,000 units from 1,332,968 in 2025. To support this, the government is collaborating with Baznas Central Java to rehabilitate uninhabitable houses (RTLH), with recent funding totaling Rp2.011 billion for 112 units in the third phase of 2026.