Amid the accelerating challenges of population growth, unequal access to health services, and the increasing need among young people for accurate reproductive health information, family planning is no longer merely a sectoral issue. It is a fundamental pillar in strengthening sustainable human development—a strategic imperative that requires a systemic and coordinated response.

To ensure tangible and sustainable impact, it is necessary to strengthen programs that are continuous, data-driven, oriented toward city government ownership, and integrated into the existing Family Planning (FP) and Reproductive Health (RH) program systems. The Ministry of Population and Family Development (Kemendukbangga), together with Jalin Foundation, presents a solution through The Challenge Initiative (TCI) Jalin Indonesia as an innovative approach that positions city governments as the primary drivers of change, rather than merely program implementers.

Strengthening Urban Family Planning and Reproductive Health Systems through the TCI Program

TCI adopts a demand-driven approach that promotes local ownership and the sustainability of FP/RH programs. Unlike top-down models that often cease once external assistance ends, TCI is designed to create permanent change through intensive technical assistance and capacity building for city governments in governance, planning, budgeting, and service delivery.

This approach is implemented through four interrelated and mutually reinforcing strategic pillars.

The first pillar focuses on strengthening the capacity of city governments in planning and budgeting family planning programs. Through this pillar, FP programs are integrated into the Regional Medium-Term Development Plan (RPJMD), ensuring that family planning is no longer a temporary initiative but a measurable and sustainable regional development priority.

The second pillar utilizes the SIGA and SIRIKA platforms as the foundation for data-driven decision-making. With integrated information systems, city governments can accurately identify service gaps, monitor program implementation in real time, and objectively evaluate impact. Data becomes the compass that guides every strategic decision.

Meanwhile, the third pillar integrates family planning services with maternal health services to ensure a more cohesive service system. At the same time, the roles of community health centers (puskesmas) and private midwives are strengthened to provide safe and high-quality contraceptive services, creating a service ecosystem that is responsive to community needs.

Finally, the fourth pillar, which lies at the core of TCI’s transformation, ensures that the program is genuinely owned and implemented by the local governments themselves, rather than relying on external or central support. This demand-driven approach selects only cities that demonstrate strong political commitment and determination to improve. Through this mechanism, FP programs become integrated into the operational systems of city governments and remain sustainable even without external support.

TCI’s Working Strategy in Supporting Urban Areas

Over the course of one year, TCI together with Jalin Foundation will support cities in moving toward independence and sustainable impact. This approach is demand-driven, enabling cities to contribute their own human resources and funding while receiving the necessary technical assistance from TCI. Subsequently, city governments will be able to implement the program independently and sustainably.

TCI seeks to simplify various proven practices and effective interventions so they can be more easily and rapidly implemented in the field. This strategy enables the program to reach more communities and areas without reducing the quality of impact, and even holds the potential to expand achieved outcomes.

The assistance is carried out through a phased model—lead, assist, and observe—which gradually reduces dependence on external facilitators. The use of TCI University as an online learning platform facilitates knowledge transfer, the sharing of best practices, and networking among cities to accelerate collective learning.

Most importantly, TCI does not create a parallel structure. Instead, the program is fully integrated into the existing government system. Strategies, funding, and technical assistance are aligned to ensure more efficient budget utilization, broader program coverage, and sustainable transformation within the health system. Data is used not only for monitoring but also for problem-solving and contextual, evidence-based decision-making.

As a concrete first step, the inaugural workshop was held on 11 February 2026 in collaboration with partners from Kemendukbangga/BKKBN. This activity involved key stakeholders who came together to align perspectives and determine intervention areas as well as best practices through the TCI approach model. Special focus was given to strengthening governance, coordination, the organization of FP/RH services, and increasing public interest and awareness of the program.

In this forum, five cities were designated as TCI’s strategic target areas, and comprehensive recommendations were formulated by the national technical assistance team to ensure smoother and more focused program implementation.

Overall, TCI’s planning and implementation constitute a structured strategy to strengthen FP/RH programs through the systems already existing within each city government. However, its impact goes far beyond short-term program strengthening. It is expected that this model can eventually be replicated and adapted in other cities across Indonesia that require similar support.