Re-thinking community-based public policy models for stunting reduction: Comparative cases from Indonesia, Vietnam, and the Philippines

Abstract

Stunting remains a persistent developmental challenge in Southeast Asia, significantly affecting long-term human capital and public health outcomes. While numerous national strategies have been enacted, the effectiveness of community-based policy models remains uneven across contexts. This study rethinks the design and implementation of community-based public policies aimed at stunting reduction by comparing three subnational experiences: Jawa Tengah (Indonesia), Quảng Nam (Vietnam), and Bohol (the Philippines). This study employs a comparative qualitative case study approach, combining document analysis, policy review, and semi-structured interviews. Findings indicate that while all three regions adopted community-based frameworks, their policy instruments and degrees of community participation vary significantly. Vietnam's Quảng Nam integrated village health workers within a national directive, producing relatively cohesive implementation. Bohol in the Philippines exhibited fragmented delivery due to decentralized mandates but showed strong civil society participation. Jawa Tengah demonstrated hybrid governance. The study reveals that policy effectiveness in stunting reduction is less dependent on administrative centralization or decentralization per se, and more on the quality of participatory structures, clarity of policy mandates, and continuity of multi-level coordination. The research proposes a renewed conceptual model for community-based policy design, community trust-building, and contextual governance flexibility. This model may inform future policy reforms targeting stunting reduction in developing regions.