In This Economy, Marriage Is No Longer A Priority For Young People

JAKARTA The number of marriages in Indonesia has decreased in recent years. Young people are said to have different perceptions about marriage.

Marriage is a bond that is performed between a man and a woman in the bond of sacred promise to a couple by admitting in front of God. Marriage is actually not just a physical relationship, but also involves emotional, spiritual, and social ties between the two individuals.

But lately, delaying marriage or even deciding not to get married has actually become a trend among young people. This trend is also considered to contribute to the decline in the number of marriages in the country.

According to data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS), the number of marriages in Indonesia has decreased gradually in the last 10 years. However, the most drastic decline occurred in the last three years. In 2021 there were 1.74 million marriages, and then in 2022 it fell to 1.70 million couples. The number of marriages in Indonesia fell again to 1.58 million couples in 2023 or decreased by 128,000 pairs compared to the previous year. And in 2024 the figure fell to 1.47 million couples.

The decline in the number of marriages in Indonesia is in line with the findings of the National Population and Family Planning Agency (BKKBN) in 2023 which states that the age of marriage, especially for women, in Indonesia, has resigned. From the previous marriage of women aged around 20 years, now to 22 years.

Clinical and Forensic Psychologist Kasandra Putranto said there were a number of factors that caused a person, especially women, to postpone marriage, ranging from a change in perceptions about marriage, economic problems, to gamophobia, which was a feeling of fear of marriage.

If a decade ago marriage was still considered an achievement, this assumption does not seem to apply at this time. Young people who are socially and psychologically established to enter the trade are quite a few who deliberately postpone or choose not to marry.

For many young people, marriage is no longer a priority even though their life is well established. Usually, they prefer to continue their studies, focus on work, and careers instead of getting married in a hurry. Citing the expression of millennial generation and generation Z, "In this economy, marriage is no longer a priority". The high cost of living and economic uncertainty are said to be one of the drivers of the decline in the number of marriages.

According to Kasandra Putranto, the decline in the number of marriages, which coincided with the decline in marriage, was caused by several factors. In today's era, the perception of young people regarding marriage has changed. And, this correlates with the quality of life, especially related to education and economic status.

"This is also accompanied by increased awareness to complete education before marriage," Kasandra told VOI.

Shifting cultural, religious, and traditional values can also affect a person's decision to get married or not. Kasandra added that economic factors can also affect a person's decision to get married.

"A high financial burden or economic instability can discourage a person from getting married," he explained.

Gamophobia, or excessive feelings of fear of marriage commitment, is also experienced by some of you are young today. Even so, said Kasandra, patients with this phobia do not mean that they are reluctant to have a romantic relationship with someone.

The downward trend in this marriage rate seems not only to occur in Indonesia, but also in several other countries. Other countries such as South Korea and China also experienced similar incidents.

Korean statistics recently released a study showing only 27.5 percent of young women in their 20s were about to get married. Single lifestyles are also expanding in China, causing residents to be lazy to stay married and have children.

Meanwhile in Japan, as reported by The Japan Times, the number of engagements in 2023 reached 489,281 couples. This is down 30,000 or 5.9 percent compared to the previous year. The marriage rate is the lowest in Japan since 1933.

A survey conducted by The National Institute of Population and Social Security Tokyo shows that men and women in Japan have decreased interest in marriage. It is recorded that 17.3 percent of the male population and 14.69 percent of the women's population in Japan have no interest in bonding in marriage or building families.

Katrina Guliver's writing, a Cambridge University graduate historian, says that modernization has changed the condition and status of women in Japan. If in the past patriarchy elements were still felt and Japanese women were prohibited from doing things on their own will, now that perspective is starting to fade.

Meanwhile, the sociologist from Sebelas Maret University (UNS) Surakarta Drajat Tri Kartono views that there is a paradigm change related to marriage, especially from the aspect of women, such as in Japan and other countries, including Indonesia.

This paradigm change arises along with the development of privatization in social life and the weakening of moral bonds and trust in family institutions.

In a research entitled Family Crisis in Women's Autonomy Development' conducted by Drajat and other researchers, he highlighted changes in the relationship between power in the family.

My research regarding women's autonomy shows that women are increasingly wanting to be independent and recognized. This is because women have considerable distrust when giving their lives to family institutions with reality such as domestic violence which is getting higher in number," said Drajat, citing Kompas.