New Gemar Movement Aims to Tackle Fatherless Trend in Sumatra
- 21 Jun 2026 12:46 WIB
- Voice of Indonesia
Key Points
- The South Sumatra office of National Population and Family Planning Agency launched Gemar initiative to address the growing fatherless phenomenon.
- The program encourages fathers to personally collect their children's school report cards and become more actively involved in parenting.
RRI.CO.ID, Palembang - The National Population and Family Planning Agency (BKKBN) in South Sumatra has launched the Gemar initiative to tackle the rising fatherless trend. The program urges fathers to collect school report cards and engage more actively with their children.
The South Sumatra representative of the National Population and Family Planning Agency (BKKBN), Arios Saplis, conveyed that the Fathers Take Report Cards Movement (Gemar) is a concrete step to reduce the fatherless phenomenon. He added that the initiative aims to improve fathers’ involvement in child-rearing across Indonesia.
Arios spoke in Palembang on Friday, June 19, 2026, stressing that the program aims to shift public perception of paternal roles beyond being solely breadwinners.
“Through Gemar, we want to remind that a father’s duty is not only to provide financially. A father’s presence at important moments, including receiving school report cards, has a large impact on a child’s character formation and self-confidence,” said Arios, as quoted by Antara.
Arios warned that Indonesia faces a serious challenge with many children growing up without active paternal involvement. Citing UNICEF data from 2021 referenced by the Population and Family Planning Minister, he said about 20.9 percent of Indonesian children lack an active father figure.
He attributed the trend to factors such as divorce, death, and work demands that create distance between fathers and their families. Left unchecked, reduced paternal presence can affect a child’s emotional, social and cognitive development.
Arios emphasized that Gemar is not merely a ceremonial act of collecting report cards at school but a broader, simultaneous movement to raise parenting quality within families.
“We hope the Fathers Take Report Cards Movement becomes a positive culture widely adopted, especially in South Sumatra, to realize a resilient and characterful golden generation of Indonesia,” he said.
BKKBN officials view Gemar as an entry point to encourage everyday paternal involvement and strengthen family bonds. The initiative also complements wider efforts to support child development and community well-being. ***
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