Jakarta, 25 September 2020 – World Contraception Day (WCD) that is commemorated annually on September 26, is celebrated again today in Indonesia. PT Bayer Indonesia in collaboration to Indonesia Family Planning and Population Board (BKKBN) carry out the important theme regarding the importance to improve access to information and contraception for women empowerment in time of COVID-19 pandemic.

On the WCD this year, Bayer Indonesia launches education and access to contraception program for 25,000 female farmers and farmers’ wives in Indonesia until 2021. The goal is to help Indonesian government in slowing down population growth and in improving women empowerment, hence can contribute to increased life quality, be it seen from its economic and health indicators.

Angel Michael Evangelista, President Director of PT Bayer Indonesia in his speech mentioned, “On the World Contraception Day today, Bayer Indonesia launches education and access to contraception program for 25,000 female farmers and farmers’ wives in Banten and West Java for 2020 – 2021. Bayer collaborates with BKKBN and Indonesia Midwives Association (IBI), and Bayer appoints Mercy Corp Indonesia as our partner to execute the program. Given the current situation of the Covid-19 pandemic, digital platform i.e. KlikKB BKKBN and other applications will be used to support education and access to contraception, which to be carried out by 100 midwives as Oral Contraceptive Ambassadors. By doing so, Bayer aims to support BKKBN in reducing the Total Fertility Rate (TFR) and contraceptive drop-out, as well as unplanned pregnancies in the intervention areas. We are targeting additional new acceptors by 10% through this program. In addition, Bayer wants to help empower women, so that the quality of life, both economically and health of themselves and their families, can improve. This is a major step to improve gender equality.”

Related with Bayer’s program, Dr. (HC) dr. Hasto Wardoyo, Sp.OG(K), Head of BKKBN mentioned, “We really appreciate and welcome the program launched by Bayer Indonesia in assisting the BKKBN and the government in achieving family planning goals in Indonesia. The intervention areas are also in line with the BKKBN’s target in reducing the TFR.”

To overcome the difficulty of access to contraception during the pandemic, BKKBN carries out a number of swift strategic steps, such as the contraception service for one million acceptors from home to home across all Indonesia; creating a massive information system by using multi-level networking that covers 34 provinces, 514 districts, 23,400 field facilitators and 1.2 million cadres, as well as using a digital technology such as KlikKB to render contraception counselling.

Dr. (HC) dr. Hasto Wardoyo, Sp.OG(K) explained the current situation about family planning in Indonesia, “During Covid-19 pandemic, there is a decrease of access to healthcare services. What we need to anticipate regarding the pattern is its immediate impact related to unwanted pregnancy and mistimed pregnancy with a percentage of up to 17.5%.” Dr. Hasto also added that BKKBN is committed to achieve the goals of Family Planning 2020 (FP 2020) to guarantee the access and availability of quality contraception, while also informing and educating the people regarding reproductive health and contraception. Therefore, the partnership with various stakeholder will play an important role.

On partnership with BKKBN, Bayer Indonesia has committed its support for the Government of Indonesia in the Family Planning program for more than 32 years, through provision of innovative contraception products and reproductive health and contraception education under Private Family Planning / Blue Circle Program (Lingkaran Biru). Moreover, in 2007, Bayer together with BKKBN and IBI launched World Contraception Day in Indonesia.

For many decades, Bayer has dedicated itself to providing reliable family planning to women throughout the world, and thus reducing the number of unplanned pregnancies. Part of this approach involves providing education on contraceptive methods and principles. Bayer is involved in numerous educational initiatives to provide consumers with information, including World Contraception Day and the associated “Your Life” campaign. “Your Life” is aimed at 13- to 25-year-olds and is supported by a host of non-profit organizations. It is also part of the commitments listed under the UN movement “Every Women Every Child” (EWEC). Furthermore, Bayer Indonesia provides a website and social media on Bicara Kontrasepsi (www.bicarakontrasepsi.com) to help women in Indonesia get access to reliable and trusted information related to reproductive health and contraception.

United Nation Population Fund (UNFPA) data in August 2020 showed that 47 million of women around the world is threatened with the inability to have access to contraception tool, and there is an estimate increase of 7 million unplanned pregnancies due to COVID-19 pandemic around the world.¹

This is also under close observation for Family Planning service in Indonesia, and therefore a number of measures are taken to that information and access to contraception is available in one hand, while on the other hand, the right of Indonesian women to obtain reproductive services is also guaranteed.

Reference:

_{1.www.unfpa.org/press/new-unfpa-projections-predict-calamitous-impact-womens-health-covid-19-pandemic-continues}

About Bayer

Bayer is a global enterprise with core competencies in the life science fields of health care and nutrition. Its products and services are designed to benefit people by supporting efforts to overcome the major challenges presented by a growing and aging global population. At the same time, the Group aims to increase its earning power and create value through innovation and growth. Bayer is committed to the principles of sustainable development, and the Bayer brand stands for trust, reliability and quality throughout the world. In fiscal 2019, the Group employed around 104,000 people and had sales of 43.5 billion euros. Capital expenditures amounted to 2.9 billion euros, R&D expenses to 5.3 billion euros. Visit  www.bayer.com or www.bayer.co.id.

Media Contacts:

Laksmi Prasvita

Head of Communications, Public Affairs, Science & Sustainability

E-mail: contact.indonesia@bayer.com

Sri Libri Kusnianti

Communications, Public Affairs, Science & Sustainability

E-mail: sri.libri@bayer.com

Visit our Facebook : www.facebook.com/bayerindonesia

Forward-Looking Statements

This release may contain forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by Bayer management. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and the estimates given here. These factors include those discussed in Bayer’s public reports which are available on the Bayer website at www.Bayer.com. The company assumes no liability whatsoever to update these forward-looking statements or to conformthem to future events or developments

_{PP-YSM-ID-0064-1}