"The president and vice president have promoted their Asta Cita (Eight Aspires) to pursue social transformation. Marriage counselling plays an important role in this cause," the ministry's Director General of Islamic Community Guidance, Kamaruddin Amin, noted in his office's statement here on Friday.
He emphasized that national resilience is rooted in family stability, noting that the presence of resilient and harmonious families could help a nation to stand stronger.
Amin then highlighted that counselors and marriage registrars play a vital role in guiding people toward building quality families through assistance and guidance provided by a religious affairs office (KUA).
"Preparations for (building) a strong family start from services offered by a KUA, such as guidance for school-age adolescents and marriage counselling," he stated.
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Furthermore, the director general underscored several important areas for prospective couples, such as increasing their understanding of sexual and reproductive health, a harmonious family concept, and family psychology.
He also drew attention to child marriage cases in Indonesia, saying that marriage counselling can help prevent early marriages and reduce child marriage rates.
"Early-age marriage cases are still evident and are leading to many impacts. Therefore, we need to promote marriages at a mature age," he stressed.
Alluding to childhood stunting, Amin emphasized the importance of parents equipping themselves with adequate knowledge of the nutrients that mothers need during pregnancy.
"Stunting problems stem from parents' ignorance during the period from pregnancy to childbirth. Marriage counselling should entail information related to this matter," he concluded.
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Translator: Asep F, Tegar Nurfitra
Editor: Yuni Arisandy Sinaga
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