KBRN, Jakarta: Indonesia's Agency for Accelerating Poverty Alleviation (BP Taskin) has acknowledged that extreme poverty in urban areas remains a major unresolved issue. Among the most overlooked groups, it said, are scavengers.

“There are already 4.2 million registered scavengers, most of whom live in cities,” said BP Taskin Deputy Head Nanik S. Deyang, speaking at the agency’s office on Thursday, August 14, 2025.

Nanik noted that 50–60 percent of scavengers lack national ID cards (KTP), a key requirement for accessing government assistance programs.

She emphasized that the official figure likely underrepresents the true scale of the problem. The Indonesian Scavengers Association (IPI) estimates the number could be as high as 10 million, including those not yet recorded.

“According to IPI, the actual number of scavengers may be far higher than reported. Many remain undocumented, which reflects the deep complexity of urban extreme poverty,” she concluded.

Echoing BP Taskin’s concerns, IPI reiterated that the number of scavengers in major cities far exceeds official data. The association estimates up to 10 million people, including unregistered individuals, are engaged in scavenging.

Most scavengers face limited access to basic services such as healthcare and education due to the absence of ID cards. Without a KTP, they are effectively excluded from social protection programs.

IPI also highlighted the daily social and economic challenges scavengers face in urban environments, calling for inclusive policies to sustainably improve their quality of life. ***

Translator: Annaila Syafa Azzahra

Editor: Sri Wahyuni