Indonesia govt official slammed for saying every woman should give birth to at least 1 daughter

An Indonesian government official has been criticised for asking women in the country to give birth to at least one daughter, to counter the country's anticipated declining birth rate.

Necessary to prevent a population decline

The official in question is Hasto Wardoyo, a businessman who was appointed the Head of Indonesia's National Population and Family Planning Board (BKKBN), a non-ministry government body for family planning.

Indonesian media detikhealth reported that Hasto expressed his concerns that Indonesia's Total Fertility Rate (TFR) would decline in the next few years, observing a shift in marriage goals in society.

"There are those who do it for recreation (marriage), just to legalise [their] husband-wife relationship, there are those who do it for security so they can receive protection," Hasto said.

According to a 2024 Indonesian Statistics report by the Central Agency of Statistics (BPS), the marriage rate in Indonesia has decreased drastically over the past three years, down from 1.7 million to about 1.5 million.

1,000 women should give birth to 1,000 baby daughters

Hasto said that the change in public perception, which no longer sees marriage as an obligation or mandatory, played a role in reducing the country's birth rate.

Hence, Hasto hoped that every woman in Indonesia can give birth to at least one daughter, believing that this is necessary to prevent a population decline in Indonesia.

"If there are 1,000 women in a village, then there must be 1,000 baby girls born," he said.

"If there is a 'minus growth', eventually the people will run out," Hasto added.

Criticised

Hasto's statement has angered many citizens, CNBC Indonesia reported.

Many people expressed on X (formerly Twitter) that getting every woman to give birth to at least one daughter would not necessarily overcome the threat of declining birth rates in the country.

Instead of giving birth to a daughter, many have urged the BKKBN to analyse and address the root cause of couples who marry only for recreation and opt not to have children.

"Solve the root of the problem. Why do people choose to delay, reduce, or even not have children," one user wrote on X, as quoted by CNBC Indonesia.

Not mandatory

In response to ongoing criticism, Hasto clarified that he does not require all women to give birth to one daughter.

"On average, it is important for women to have two children, but [ideally] on the average [one of them would be a] daughter, not that it is mandatory," said Hasto.

"If the house at the front has two daughters, but the house at the back has no daughter, it's not an issue. Don't twist (my words)."

Top image via alumni.ugm.ac.id and Pixabay/Pexels.