Strong Families, Dignified Nation
Several days ago, the Indonesian nation commemorated National Family Day. Like other national observances, Harganas will pass as the calendar pages turn. Congratulations will be replaced by new issues. Hashtags on social media will disappear, replaced by other conversations.
Yet in truth, the meaning of National Family Day must not stop as an annual ceremony or merely a decoration for social media posts. This momentum should remind us that the family is the primary foundation of national development.
For Indonesia’s future is not solely determined by what is decided in courtrooms, government buildings, or economic centres. Indonesia’s future is actually shaped every day in the family room, at the dining table, at children’s study desks, and in simple conversations between fathers, mothers, and their children. It is there that character is built, values are passed on, and hopes for the nation’s future begin to be sown.
The Constitution has provided clear direction. The Preamble to the 1945 Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia affirms the state’s goal to protect all the people of Indonesia, advance public welfare, educate the life of the nation, and participate in establishing world order. This constitutional mandate cannot be realised without quality human beings. And quality human beings are always born from quality families.
This awareness was then translated into Law Number 52 of 2009 concerning Population Development and Family Development, which places family development as an integral part of national development. This mandate is reinforced through Government Regulation Number 87 of 2014, which emphasises the importance of strengthening family functions as the foundation for Indonesian human development.
Indeed, the family is the first place where this nation is built. Before a child knows the state, they know their family. Before understanding the law, they learn about right and wrong from their parents. Before learning about Pancasila at school, they first learn to practise its values at home.
Within the family, a child learns the meaning of Belief in the One and Only God through the example of their parents’ worship and morals. They learn Just and Civilised Humanity through affection and respect for others. They learn the Unity of Indonesia when taught to appreciate differences and live in togetherness. They learn democracy through deliberation when the family resolves problems through dialogue. And they learn social justice when parents treat every family member with balanced love and responsibility.
Thus, the family is truly the first school of Pancasila.
For Muslims, strengthening the family is also a religious mandate. Allah SWT says, “O you who have believed, protect yourselves and your families from a Fire” (QS. At-Tahrim: 6). This verse reminds us that family responsibility does not stop at fulfilling economic needs, but also includes fostering faith, morals, knowledge, and character. The Prophet Muhammad SAW also reminded that every leader will be held accountable for those they lead. The first leadership begins with the family.
Unfortunately, various indicators show that the resilience of Indonesian families is facing significant tests.
Data from the Central Statistics Agency shows that in recent years, divorce cases in Indonesia have remained in the range of more than 400,000 cases annually, with the majority being contested divorces initiated by wives. Behind these figures lie stories of broken families, children who lose a complete space to grow, and social challenges that cannot be resolved solely through legal approaches.
However, today’s family challenges are far broader than just the issue of divorce. We are facing major changes due to the digital revolution, economic pressures, increasing mental health issues, declining quality of intergenerational interaction, and the tendency for less and less quality time together in families. Many children are now more familiar with mobile phone screens than with warm conversations with their parents.
This phenomenon is not only experienced by Indonesia. Various studies by the OECD, UNICEF, UNFPA, and the World Health Organization (WHO) show that the world is facing a crisis of family resilience and social cohesion. Declining birth rates, increasing loneliness, weakening social trust, and changes in family structure are challenges faced by many countries, both developed and developing.
The OECD Family Database shows that family stability has a close relationship with child well-being, educational success, mental health, and social mobility in adulthood. Children who grow up in stable family environments tend to have better academic achievements, lower dropout risks, and better physical and psychological health compared to those who experience family disruption.
The OECD also emphasises that changes in family structure, rising divorce rates, and weakening relations among family members are significant challenges for social cohesion and economic development in many countries. In the Society at a Glance Asia/Pacific 2025 report, divorce rates in the Asia Pacific region have increased by nearly 20 percent since 2005.
Meanwhile, Indonesia has a relatively high proportion of early-marriage divorces, with about three out of ten divorces occurring in marriages lasting less than five years. Various studies also show that family stability is closely correlated with children’s mental health, educational success, economic productivity, and a lower risk of intergenerational poverty.
These findings remind us that family resilience is a strategic issue that cannot be ignored.