JAKARTA: The Surabaya administration in East Java has barred more than 8,000 men from accessing public services for failing to pay court-ordered child support following their divorces, an official said.
R. Irvan Wahyudradjad, head of the city’s Population and Civil Registration Agency, said the policy was introduced in 2023 and the first of its kind in Indonesia.
The measure aims to address widespread noncompliance with post-divorce financial obligations, which he said has left many former spouses and children without adequate support.
“There are many men who fail to fulfill child support and alimony obligations despite court rulings. Their ex-wives and children ultimately bear the consequences,” Irvan said on (April 7), as quoted by Kompas.com.
Under the policy, affected individuals are denied access to 30 types of public services related to population administration and civil registration. These include applications for relocation documents, updates to family registration cards, document legalization, replacement of lost identity cards and registration of vital records such as births, deaths, marriages and divorces
Irvan said access to the restricted services can be restored once former husbands fulfill their court-ordered financial obligations and report compliance.
Officials said the initiative has attracted international attention, with Australia’s highest judicial body visiting Surabaya in 2024 to study the programme. They added that Indonesia’s Supreme Court is reviewing regulations to allow the policy to be expanded nationwide.
Sri Lestari, a lecturer at Muhammadiyah University of Surabaya, called the policy a progressive step, saying it reflects growing state recognition of “absent fatherhood” after divorce
“Divorce often exposes gender imbalances, with women bearing disproportionate burdens,” she said last week.
“Former wives not only take on childcare responsibilities but also lose financial support, face social stigma and carry emotional strain. It often leaves already vulnerable women in a more precarious economic and social position,” she added.
She said the policy marks a shift from treating child support as a private family matter to a public administrative issue, and reflects state intervention in unequal post-divorce relations.
However, she cautioned that the restrictions should not impede former husbands’ ability to work, as this could undermine their capacity to meet their obligations.
“Any measures must not restrict access to employment, as that would be counterproductive,” she said.
Under Indonesian law, fathers are required to provide child support until their children reach 21.
The 2002 Child Protection Law and the 2004 Domestic Violence Law classify failure to pay support as a form of child neglect, punishable by up to five years in prison and a fine of up to Rp 100 million (US$5,860).
Despite these legal provisions, enforcement has been weak, with many men failing to meet their obligations with little consequence.
Observers say enforcement is often weak due to limited access to fathers’ financial information and low legal literacy.
Many women also lack the time and resources to pursue lengthy court proceedings to claim child support. Authorities face additional hurdles in enforcing payments, particularly when fathers work in the informal sector, making asset seizure or wage garnishment difficult. - The Jakarta Post/ANN
