Depok, West Java. West Java Governor Dedi Mulyadi is urging men from low-income households to undergo vasectomies as part of a new birth control initiative aimed at reducing poverty in the province.

During a working visit to Depok City Hall on Tuesday, Dedi announced that starting next week, the provincial government will offer vasectomy services every Wednesday. As an incentive, men who undergo the procedure will receive a Rp 500,000 ($30) cash reward.

“This is part of our effort to reduce poverty in West Java,” Dedi said. “We’ve seen many cases where poor families have a fourth or fifth child, with childbirth costs ranging from Rp 15 million to Rp 25 million. These are expenses they can’t afford.”

He stressed that becoming a parent requires financial readiness. Without the means to support childbirth and education, couples should consider delaying childbearing.

Dedi noted that higher birth rates are more prevalent among lower-income families, adding to the state’s burden in the form of social assistance and public services.

“I want to see more men participating in family planning,” he said. “It shouldn’t always be the women who carry the responsibility.”

The initiative marks a strategic shift toward encouraging male involvement in reproductive health, which the governor hopes will foster more equitable and responsible family planning practices.

As of September 2024, Indonesia’s national poverty rate stood at 8.57 percent, or 24.06 million people, a 0.46 percentage point decrease from March 2024. In West Java specifically, the poverty rate was 7.08 percent, affecting around 3.67 million residents, down by 180,320 people compared to earlier in the year.

According to data from the Home Affairs Ministry, 859,055 births were recorded nationwide from January to June 2024, with West Java accounting for the highest number at 164,230 births.