Jakarta, June 18 -- The Population and Family Development Ministry stated here on Wednesday that building a great and strong Indonesia must begin with the smallest social unit, the family, and that its eight functions should be optimized.

Deputy Minister of Population and Family Development Ratu Ayu Isyana Bagoes Oka explained that although families are small, they serve as the foundation of a nation, as it is within the family that children learn values, such as love, respect, empathy, and understanding of social life.

Oka outlined eight essential functions: religious, socio-cultural, affection, protection, reproduction, socialization and education, economic, as well as environmental.

She affirmed that by implementing the eight functi...