General Assembly Plenary in Observance of Tenth Anniversary of the International Year of the Family 

6 December 2004, GA Session 59, Meeting 67

Mrs. Wahab, Indonesia

On behalf of the delegation of Indonesia, let me thank the Secretary-General for his detailed report on preparations for and observance of the tenth anniversary of the International Year of the Family (A/59/176), which is now being discussed at this plenary meeting. It is a rich document that allows us to assess national priorities and actions to protect and strengthen families.

I take this opportunity to associate my delegation with the statements made by the representative of Qatar on behalf of the Group of 77 and China, and the representative of Brunei Darussalam on behalf of the Association of South-East Asian Nations.

The advice contained in the Secretary-General's report that each country should determine for itself the way in which major trends affect its particular circumstances is acceptable to Indonesia. We also welcome the light the report sheds on approaches and policies undertaken to deal with dysfunctional situations affecting all types of families. In essence, Indonesia regards the report as an important record of steps taken so far and as a statement on what needs to be done to secure the future of families.

For its part, Indonesia remains committed to the ideals of the International Year of the Family because we recognize that the family is at the very centre of human existence. Strong families not only contribute to the good order of society but also represent an untapped contributor to society's economic and social development. To play the diverse roles of which it is capable, the family must therefore benefit from the widest possible protection and assistance to build its capacity for action.

Without such support, family life would risk disintegration, and there is clear evidence that the result would most probably be various forms of anti-social behaviour. Dysfunctional families put communities under stress and place great strain on the social infrastructure of nations. Indonesia believes that such a negative social situation is to be avoided at all costs. Consequently, Indonesia's national ideal is a well-integrated, prosperous family, and towards that end Indonesia has placed the family at the centre of its policy-making process.

As the family is the fundamental unit of society, Indonesia believes that the purpose of national policies and programmes for families should result in individual and group empowerment. Because women have historically had to cope with innumerable constraints, special emphasis is being given to their development. Since they also represent the nucleus of family life, it is vital that they be equipped to handle the important responsibilities that underlie successful family life.

Indonesia has therefore put into effect a policy -- "Quality, Community and Family 2015" -- that aims to build family resilience and enhance the capacity of women to respond effectively to the basic needs of their families. Through that policy women are gaining the means to help provide their families with food, health care, education and shelter and are now themselves the beneficiaries of increased educational opportunities.

The close attention being paid to women does not mean, however, that men have been overlooked. The broad-based nature of the national programme of action also impacts men. They are being mobilized and encouraged to become more involved in building strong, happy, prosperous families, since the success of the family does not depend only on the efforts and inputs of women. In addition to satisfying the basic material needs of the family, men also have an important role to play in meeting the intellectual, emotional and spiritual needs of their offspring.

The partnership of husband and wife must address not only the functions of reproduction and production, but also incorporate the critically important function of socialization. Proper child-rearing and the creation of conditions for the wholesome development of children must be treated as shared responsibilities.

Together, the husband and wife team must create a happy, loving, nurturing home environment for their children. Together, they must create the value system that will give their children a strong religious and moral education and guide their actions in the wider society. Those values should inspire confidence and boldness but should not create an orientation for domestic violence.

On the whole, Indonesia has made notable progress in improving the quality of life enjoyed by its families. But we recognize there must be a permanent commitment at the highest level of government to the goals of the International Year of the Family in order to maintain a high quality of life and to improve it in the future. We shall therefore continue to build strong partnerships and cooperate with all relevant parties, regionally and internationally, to ensure better conditions of life for families. In that regard, we warmly welcome the convening of the Doha International Conference for the Family and its Doha Declaration.