Desy Nurhayati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The National Family Planning Coordinating Board (BKKBN) is drafting a handbook for Muslim leaders to guide them in disseminating the government's family planning program to the people.
The ""Reproductive Health Information, Education and Communication for Ulemas"" handbook is the result of an international conference of Muslim leaders held in Bali in February to discuss population and reproductive health issues.
In drafting the handbook, the BKKBN is collaborating with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the Religious Affairs Ministry and several Muslim organizations including the Indonesian Council of Mosques, Nahdlatul Ulama and Muhammadiyah.
Chairman of BKKBN Sugiri Syarief said Monday the board's guidance is intended to invigorate family planning among Indonesian families.
""We have involved ulemas in the hope they can address the importance of reproductive health, which includes family planning, healthy timing for pregnancy and intervals between pregnancies, through Islamic teachings and values,"" he said on the sidelines of a discussion on the draft handbook.
In a society dominated by Muslims, ulemas are still considered prominent figures whose views and actions are watched and followed. Nationwide, there are currently about 60,000 Muslim leaders registered with the Religious Affairs Ministry.
""To optimize the revitalization of the program, we will cooperate with Muslim leaders across the country, from the provincial level to the smallest groups in the community, such as mosque-based ulemas. We will distribute the handbook by using the religious ministry's agencies in each province as the first channels,"" Sugiri said.
The handbook will cover four main topics: Islam and family planning; health for mothers and babies; adolescent reproductive health and HIV/AIDS-free families.
Zaidul Huque, a representative for UNFPA, agreed with Sugiri, saying that by strengthening the capacity and roles of the ulemas in reproductive health and population-related issues, it is expected the ulemas can create a conducive environment among Indonesians to implement the family planning program.
""Indonesia has been on the right track in involving religious leaders in the family planning program, and we acknowledge that support from the leaders in the country has gone through a long process of discussion among the ulemas, the government and other community leaders including NGOs,"" he said.
Also in attendance at the discussion was former religious minister Tarmizi Taher, who is the current chairman of the Indonesian Council of Mosques.
He suggested that the handbook cite relevant verses from the Koran and the hadiths -- a collection of Prophet Muhammad's sayings and deeds.
Sugiri said that after the guidance handbook for Muslim ulemas was completed, BKKBN would also take similar steps with leaders from other religious denominations.
