BACKGROUND AND IMPLEMENTATION CHALLENGES: Indonesia, home to seven of the world’s largest cigarette companies, has become a stronghold for the tobacco industry. Despite Indonesia’s absence from the FCTC, young Indonesians have risen to expose the industry’s predatory tactics and resist becoming its targets. What began in 2015 with 20 young advocates has grown into a nationwide movement of over 10 million youth fighting for change.
INTERVENTION OR RESPONSE: This journey showcases the resilience and advocacy of Indonesia’s youth in countering the tobacco and nicotine industry’s aggressive strategies. Lentera Anak empowered young people to voice their rights, starting with small efforts like documenting cigarette ads near schools. This led to mobilizing 90 schools and 2,000 students in five cities to remove tobacco ads, successfully removing 150 cigarette advertising banners, and followed in various cities in Indonesia¹. The movement also exposed egregious tactics, such as making seven-year-old children wear cigarette brand logos during national badminton auditions². Despite the backlash, these efforts drove significant changes, including issuing Government Regulation No. 59 in 2019 ³, strengthening child protection, and ending Djarum’s sponsorship of the All Indonesia Badminton Association in 2021.
RESULTS AND IMPACT: The movement expanded inclusively, addressing issues beyond health—such as economic disparity, environmental degradation, gender equality, and disability rights. Campaigns like #PilihBicara, #TolakJadiTarget, #SatuPuntungSejutaMasalah, and #MuralParade along with programs like the Youth Pioneer, mobilized youth nationwide. In 2021, the movement formalized with a youth council representing 43 organizations across 20 cities.
CONCLUSIONS: Advocacy efforts also amplified children’s voices through 202 forums across cities/provinces and nationwide contributing to a decline in child smoking prevalence from 9.1% to 7.4% (2023)⁵. Regulatory victories include raising the smoking age to 21+, banning cigarette ads near schools, regulating e-cigarettes, prohibiting flavored ingredients, and banning point-of-sale ads ⁶. These milestones underscore the transformative power of youth leadership in tobacco control.