Bappenas Launches First Biological Statistics Report to Encourage Data-Based Development

JAKARTA – The Indonesian government, through the Ministry of National Development Planning/Bappenas, launched the inaugural Indonesia Vital Statistics Report. 

Key speakers included representatives from Bappenas, the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Central Statistics Agency (BPS), the Ministry of Health, and international development partners such as the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and the World Health Organization (WHO). The launch event also featured a talk show discussing the significance of vital statistics in supporting inclusive and sustainable development planning. 

Deputy Minister for Population and Employment at Bappenas, Maliki, emphasized that accurate and timely vital statistics serve as a foundation for improving public welfare and planning national development. This data enables various ministries and agencies to formulate more effective, evidence-based policies. 

“Vital statistics are essential tools for monitoring and evaluating public policies. In line with Presidential Regulation No. 62/2019, which has been in effect for nearly five years, we have established strategic steps to strengthen the development of vital statistics in Indonesia. With these statistics, we can draft more precise policies, especially in the health, education, and social welfare sectors,” Deputy Minister Maliki explained on Thursday (17/10).

The report is part of the National Strategy for Accelerating Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (Stranas AKPSH), which aims to provide data on population events such as births, deaths, marriages, and divorces. This data is crucial for policy planning, monitoring development programs, and conducting socio-economic analyses. The development of vital statistics is also needed to strengthen a single identity number-based population information system, one of the 320 priority programs of the president aimed at creating a more accurate and integrated registration system.

This launch is expected to bolster commitments at both the national and regional levels to achieve comprehensive birth and death registration, and to accelerate civil registration as the foundation for accurate and complete vital statistics. 

“We hope this report will inspire regional governments to improve the recording of vital population events, especially within civil registry offices. Vital statistics reflect the dynamics of Indonesian society. Therefore, it is crucial for all parties to collaborate to ensure every event is properly recorded. Through the spirit of collaboration, I am confident we can achieve accurate, comprehensive, and timely data. May this report contribute to inclusive and equitable national development,” concluded Deputy Minister Maliki.