6 months ago
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Head of Indonesia's National Population and Family Planning Agency or BKKBN, Hasto Wardoyo, sought to clarify his previous statement about each woman having one daughter, which was misinterpreted and sparked a stir.
Hasto denied ever mandating that a woman have one daughter. “I didn't say that a woman must have one daughter. I didn't say that. I said that on average, it is expected that one woman will have one daughter,” Hasto said on Sunday, July 7, 2024, after speaking at a stunting eradication event in Magelang.
“If a family in front of my house has two daughters and a family behind my house has no daughters, then that's fine,” Hasto added.
He emphasized that his intention was to promote balanced population growth. “The BKKBN's role is to maintain population stability. If a sub-district has 5,000 women today, and that number drops to 4,500 in ten years, the population will decline because women are the ones who get pregnant and give birth,” he said.
“That's what average means. Don't translate it as a mandate for every woman to have a daughter,” he reiterated.
Indonesia's Family Planning Journey
Indonesia's Family Planning program, known as KB (Keluarga Berencana), has been in place since the 1950s when the national population growth rate of 2.12% outpaced the dunia average of 2.06%.
Driven by a desire to reduce high maternal and infant mortality rates, a group of doctors formed the Indonesian Family Planning Association (PKBI) and spearheaded the KB movement.
The movement, however, encountered roadblocks. Articles 283 and 534 of the Criminal Code, prohibiting the demonstration of contraceptive devices, hindered their efforts. Fortunately, a shift came with the rise of the New Order government. Recognizing the importance of family planning, the government established the National Family Planning Institute, the forerunner of today's BKKBN (National Population and Family Planning Board).
President Soeharto's administration, facing a further surge in birth rates, reaching 2.71% in the 1970s, made family planning a national priority. To encourage smaller families, the government offered free access to contraceptives such as intrauterine devices (IUDs) and birth control pills. This initiative proved successful in curbing population growth.
ANTARA
Editor’s Choice: Population Crisis: A Look at Some Countries' Policies to Combat Falling Birth Rates
Click here to get the latest news updates from Tempo on Google News
Population Crisis: A Look at Some Countries' Policies to Combat Falling Birth Rates
2 jam lalu
Some countries have experienced low birth rates and have taken various anticipatory steps.
Looming Population Crisis: 10 Countries with Lowest Birth Rates, Singapore Included
11 hari lalu
The birth rate, or the average number of children a woman has in her lifetime, is a crucial factor in a country's future population.
South Korea Declares 'Demographic Emergency' amid Low Birth Rate
18 hari lalu
South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol declared a 'demographic emergency' on Wednesday amid growing concern over the country's declining population.
Child Marriage Compromises Children's Right to Grow, Says BKKBN
16 Juli 2023
National Population and Family Planning Board (BKKBN) has stressed that child marriage compromises children's right to grow healthy.
Bappenas: New Family Planning Program Needed as Population Growth Slowing
16 Mei 2023
Bappenas Head Suharso Monoarfa emphasized that the government needs to formulate a new family planning policy since population growth keeps slowing.
Contraception on Men Has Lower Risk Compared to Women: BKKBN
7 Mei 2023
Contraception on men has lower risk compared to women, said Head of Yogyakarta National Population and Family Planning Agency (BKKBN).
Last Students Graduate: School Closures Spread in Japan
31 Maret 2023
As Japan's birth rate plunges faster than expected, school closures have picked up the pace, especially in rural areas.
China Analyzing Ways to Boost Birth Rate
15 Maret 2023
Concerned by China's shrinking population, political advisors to the government have come up with more than 20 recommendations to boost birth rates.
BKKBN Says There Should Be No Jakartans Living in Extreme Poverty
31 Januari 2023
BKKBN Secretary Tavip Agus Rayanto assessed that there should be no more Jakartans living in extreme poverty.
Jokowi Warns Parents against Giving Baby Instant Milk Coffee
25 Januari 2023
President Jokowi highlighted a story about a mother giving her seven-month-old baby instant milk coffee in Gowa, South Sulawesi.
English (US) · 
Indonesian (ID) · 