For many Indonesian families, obtaining a death certificate is often considered unnecessary unless it is required for inheritance claims, insurance benefits, or pension administration. As a result, many deaths remain unregistered in official civil records. This administrative gap creates discrepancies between local government records, national population databases, and voter registration lists, ultimately affecting public services and policy planning.
The research highlights a practical example from Jagebob Raya Village, where local officials observed that many deceased residents remained listed in official voter records because their deaths had never been legally recorded through death certificates. This mismatch illustrates how incomplete civil registration can reduce the reliability of population statistics used by government agencies.
Why Death Certificates Matter Beyond Legal Formalities
Death certificates serve several important functions beyond confirming an individual's death. According to the study, they allow government agencies to update population records accurately, prevent misuse of deceased individuals’ identities, improve mortality statistics, and provide reliable demographic data for public policy.
For surviving family members, the document is equally important. It supports inheritance administration, pension applications, insurance claims, family allowance processing, and remarriage documentation. Without an official death certificate, families may encounter legal and administrative difficulties long after a relative has passed away.
Field Research Captured Community Experiences
The researchers adopted a qualitative descriptive approach to understand both administrative practices and community perceptions. Fieldwork was conducted in February 2026 in Jagebob Raya Village through interviews, direct observation, and document analysis.
The study involved 15 participants, including:
- Village Head and Village Secretary
- Village administrative officers
- Officials from the Merauke Population and Civil Registration Office (Disdukcapil)
- Community neighborhood leaders (RT/RW)
- Local residents
Rather than relying solely on official statistics, the researchers explored how residents understood death certificate registration and how local government offices managed the service. The collected information was analyzed by identifying recurring themes and comparing perspectives from different stakeholders.
Digital Administration Is Growing, but Challenges Remain
The study found that population administration services in Jagebob Raya Village are gradually shifting from manual paperwork to digital systems. Several administrative forms that were traditionally completed by hand are now processed electronically.
However, this transition has not been fully successful. Researchers identified several barriers, including:
- Limited internet connectivity
- Insufficient digital infrastructure
- Lack of technical training for village officials
- Uneven public understanding of digital administrative procedures
These obstacles continue to slow civil registration services despite ongoing modernization efforts.
Public Awareness Is Still Uneven
Interviews revealed significant differences in community awareness.
Residents who had previously processed death certificates understood that the document automatically deactivates the deceased person's National Identification Number (NIK) and updates government population records. They also recognized its importance for legal matters involving inheritance and family administration.
Conversely, several participants admitted they had never applied for death certificates for deceased relatives because they believed the document had little practical value.
The findings indicate that administrative literacy remains one of the largest barriers to improving death registration in rural communities.
Better Collaboration Could Improve Population Administration
The researchers recommend stronger cooperation between the Population and Civil Registration Office, village governments, and neighborhood leaders (RT/RW). Regular public education campaigns, community meetings, and practical guidance could significantly improve awareness about the importance of registering deaths.
The study also recommends continuous training for village officials to strengthen digital administrative skills and greater investment in computers, internet infrastructure, and supporting facilities to improve public services.
Implications for Public Policy
The research demonstrates that death certificate registration is not simply an individual family responsibility. It is an essential component of an effective population administration system that supports evidence-based policymaking.
More accurate death registration can help governments:
- Maintain reliable population databases.
- Improve voter registration accuracy.
- Strengthen planning for health, education, and public services.
- Reduce the risk of identity misuse.
- Ensure families can access legal rights and social benefits more efficiently.
As Indonesia continues expanding digital government services, improving public awareness of civil registration may become just as important as investing in digital infrastructure.
Academic Perspective
Rosina Kebubun and colleagues from STISIP Yaleka Maro Merauke, together with Beatus Tambaip of Cenderawasih University, conclude that death certificates are fundamental to maintaining accurate population administration. Their findings indicate that stronger public outreach, regular training for village officials, and improved digital service capacity are necessary to increase administrative literacy and ensure more reliable civil registration systems.
Author Profile
Rosina Kebubun is a researcher in the Public Administration Study Program at STISIP Yaleka Maro Merauke, Indonesia, specializing in public administration, public service, and population administration. She co-authored this study with Dewi Dyan Lampita, Simon Konorop, Yustinus Meron, Yulian Williamson Tamberan, Esau Hombore, Egidius Maturbongs (STISIP Yaleka Maro Merauke), and Beatus Tambaip, a public administration scholar from Cenderawasih University, who served as the corresponding author.
Source
Kebubun, R., Lampita, D. D., Konorop, S., Meron, Y., Tamberan, Y. W., Hombore, E., Maturbongs, E., & Tambaip, B. (2026). The Urgency of Death Certificate Administration in Jagebob Raya Village, Jagebob District, Merauke Regency. Journal of Social Interactions and Humanities (JSIH), Vol. 5, No. 2, pp. 205–218. DOI: https://doi.org/10.55927/jsih.v5i2.23
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