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Veronica Tan says childfree trend common among educated women
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Deputy Women's Empowerment and Children’s Protection Minister Veronica Tan sings the national anthem 'Indonesia Raya' after the swearing-in of President Prabowo Subianto’s Red and White Cabinet in the State Palace on Oct. 21, 2024. (Antara/Sigid Kurniawan)
D
iscussion surrounding the controversial subject of childlessness has resurfaced recently as a Statistics Indonesia (BPS) report shows 8.2 percent of Indonesian women of childbearing age choose not to have children.
Deputy Women's Empowerment and Children’s Protection Minister Veronica Tan responded to the phenomenon by saying that such a lifestyle is most commonly adopted by well-educated women who are aware of the importance of family planning and financial security, as well as mental wellbeing.
“They are well aware that having children could be a burden [should the parents get little to no preparation],” Veronica said, as quoted by Kompas.com. “Many women eventually think, if they cannot afford quality lives, why would they have children?” she continued.
According to the BPS 2023 report, most of the women choosing the child-free lifestyle live in big cities in Banten, Jakarta, West Java, Central Java, Yogyakarta and East Java.
Veronica further pointed out that women with lower levels of education often do not consider the long-term implications of having many children. The lack of preparation can lead to challenges, especially when large families are built without sufficient financial or emotional support.
"[In some cases] their husbands do not allow them to use birth control, leading the women to have many children. This might lead to mental health [issues] as well," said the deputy minister.
