Denpasar, Bali (ANTARA) - Head of the National Population and Family Planning Agency (BKKBN), Hasto Wardoyo, has said that it is regrettable that 500 thousand divorces are recorded in Indonesia every year.
He made the statement during the commemoration of National Family Day in Bali on Tuesday. He said that some mental health factors are also contributing to the high number of divorces.
"Currently, the divorce cases reach 500 thousand in a year. Related to the National Family Day, this is deeply sad," he added.
His agency has not mapped which province has the highest percentage of divorces, but going by numbers alone, BKKBN estimates that West Java is still leading on that front Therefore, on National Family Day, Wardoyo said that he wants the high number of divorce cases to become a cause for self-introspection.
He informed that the 500 thousand cases are those that have been recorded officially and recognized in court.
"This means that there are not those who have registered but (the cases) have not been officialized, not to mention those who have not lived together for a long time," Wardoyo added.
He said that there has been an increase in divorce cases in Indonesia since 2015. In 2010, the figure was 200 thousand per year This condition, he added, is detrimental to children who are left behind.
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After divorce, hundreds of thousands of women are vulnerable to poverty. Data found that in a number of regions, divorced women are in the extremely poor group.
The BKKBN head also highlighted the impact of divorce on children's mental health and the use of narcotics.
He advised that children be educated properly about illegal drugs given that currently, 5.1 percent of the population has been exposed to narcotics.