August 12, 2015

Fertility in Jakarta lower than national rate

This post originally appeared on The Jakarta Post’s website here.

Amid the country’s high fertility rate, the trend appears to have been curbed in Jakarta as a result of accessible family planning (KB) services, says a National Population and Family Planning Board (BKKBN) official.

BKKBN family welfare and empowerment deputy Sudibyo Alimoeso said on Friday that the fertility rate in Jakarta was close to the government’s targeted level of 2.1 per 1,000 women, meaning that every fertile couple in the city has two to three children.

“The fertility rate in Jakarta is closer to the target as couples in the city use contraception effectively. It is because KB services in Jakarta are accessible,” he said before a gathering with BKKBN members from all provinces in the country in South Tangerang, Banten, as part of the postponed celebration of National Family Day, which falls every June 29.

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo attended Saturday’s event.

Meanwhile, Jakarta Family Planning, Women’s and Community Agency (BPMPKB) head Dien Emmawati said the fertility rate in Jakarta was 2.3 in 2014, lower than the country’s average rate of 2.6 that year.

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