inp.polri.go.id - Jakarta. Minister of Human Rights Natalius Pigai emphasized that the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) program is part of the state's efforts to fulfill the basic rights of the people.

According to him, evaluation of the MBG program's implementation needs to be placed within the framework of improving governance, not immediately considered a human rights violation.

He stated that MBG is a development process aimed at improving the nutritional quality of the community, especially vulnerable groups, as part of fulfilling the rights to food, health, and education, as recognized in various international human rights instruments.

"In the context of human rights, MBG is still an ongoing process of achieving fulfillment of human rights needs. Therefore, it cannot be called a human rights violation," explained Pigai on Tuesday (6/16/2026).

He said that evaluation of program implementation is still necessary to ensure the goal of fulfilling basic rights is optimally achieved. However, assessments of human rights violations must be conducted carefully and proportionally.

Pigai explained that various international human rights instruments encourage countries to strengthen community protection systems by providing health services, education, food, and other basic needs without discrimination.

In this context, the MBG is considered in line with a human rights-based development approach.

According to him, programs that expand community access to basic needs, including nutritional security, also align with global standards developed by various international institutions, including human rights mechanisms under the United Nations (UN).

He added that the modern human rights framework is closely linked to the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) agenda, which emphasizes poverty reduction, social equality, and the empowerment of vulnerable groups.

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