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View all search resultsBKKBN launches back-to-school campaign to boost father involvement
The BKKBN has launched a new back-to-school campaign that aims to boost paternal involvement in the country, where societal expectations based on patriarchal culture frequently relegated fathers to the role of breadwinner and conversely, an inactive parent.
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A father and a child watch as the sun sets on Sept. 6, 2021, at Kuta Beach in Badung regency, Bali. (AFP/Sonny Tumbelaka)
T
he National Population and Family Planning Board (BKKBN) has launched a campaign that encourages fathers to accompany their children on the first day of school, aiming to promote higher father involvement and address the growing number of adolescents lacking active paternal support.
Population and Family Development Minister Wihaji, who also heads the BKKBN, revealed that 21 percent of teenagers in the country lacked an active father figure.
“Fathers often perceive their teenage children as already independent so they tend to withdraw their attention, even though teenagers still need consistent emotional support from both parents,” Wihaji said on Monday, as quoted by Kompas.com.
The minister also noted that a key factor behind low paternal involvement in parenting was that many fathers were too preoccupied with work, leaving little time for meaningful communication with their children.
This disconnect often led to adolescents spending more time on digital devices, including smartphones, said Wihaji.
According to the minister, Indonesian children spent an average of 8.5 hours each day on their phones, indicating they had limited interaction with their families.
Read also: New law seeking fathers’ involvement in childcare falls short
