Majority of Indonesian Youth Still Aspire to Marry and Have Children, Ministry Says

The Ministry of Population and Family Development (Kemendukbangga)/BKKBN has revealed that the majority of young people in Indonesia still want to marry and have children as an ideal future goal. Bonivasius Prasetya Ichtiarto, Deputy for Population Control at Kemendukbangga/BKKBN, stated during a media briefing ahead of World Population Day in Jakarta on Wednesday that the majority of the public, both in large provinces and eastern regions, still choose marriage. This finding aligns with a UNFPA survey indicating that Indonesians retain the desire to build families and have children.

Consequently, the perspective on population has shifted from ‘two children are enough’ to ‘planning is cool’ in order to realise quality families. The government continues to promote population balance or sustainable demography, where the population should be neither too large nor too small, but the policy focus is no longer merely on limiting the number of children. ‘The narrative being developed has shifted to ’Two children are healthier’, not just ‘Two children are enough’. Having more than two children is permissible as long as the quality of life, education, and health of the children remain guaranteed,’ said Bonivasius.

To respond to this, Kemendukbangga/BKKBN continues to strengthen demographic resilience through family resilience, in line with the directives of President Prabowo Subianto. However, he noted that Indonesia currently faces major challenges such as family economic pressures and the issue of working women who still bear the burden of childcare. ‘One solution is to provide daycare or Taman Asuh Sayang Anak (Tamasya) in the workplace. Daycare can improve the quality of care, increase the productivity of female workers, and provide peace of mind for mothers while working. The idea of providing daycare in companies has also been conveyed in a meeting between the President and government officials,’ he said.

Based on a UNFPA demographic survey across 73 countries, it was found that more than two-thirds of respondents still choose the institution of marriage as their ideal life path. This data dispels the notion that the younger generation is beginning to abandon family values. However, they set high standards. The younger generation explicitly prioritises achieving financial stability and excellent physical and mental health as absolute prerequisites before entering a new stage of life. Although two-thirds of respondents feel optimistic about their personal future, there is high collective concern regarding global economic uncertainty, the risk of conflict, and social inequality. The biggest barrier (72 per cent) comes from considerations of challenging economic conditions and limited access to decent housing, which are the most frequently cited factors hindering the intention to have children.