Collective Prevention Needed to Fight Against Child Marriage in Indonesia

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - Indonesia's Coordinating Human Development and Culture Ministry underscored the importance of collective effort to eradicate child marriage in the country as it shows gender inequity in today's society. 

Ministry’s deputy for improving the quality of children, women, and youth, Femmy Eka Kartika Putri, said families and children have an important role to prevent the child marriage.

"Prevention of child marriage comes from the children themselves. If they have high aspirations, they would further their education and certainly would not want to [marry young]," Femmy said on Monday, February 15, during a virtual discussion titled Prevention of Child Marriage.

Also read: Indonesias Minister Muhadjir Effendy: Dream Big to Be Successful

"So [the desire to marry young] comes from the children themselves," Femmy continued.

Besides, the family also plays a significant role to prevent child marriage, she said. If families are well educated, they will want their children to succeed.

The support from the community can also prevent child marriage from occurring. This involves support from religious and community leaders, as well as non-governmental organizations (NGOs). This includes prevention from the state in the form of various programs and regulations.

"The minimum target [of lowering the number of child marriage] by 2024 is at 8.74 percent or lower and if possible to achieve Indonesia without child marriage," Femmy said.

Also read: Indonesian Children Are Victims of Lucrative Narcotics Market

This issue sparked outrage in the country following a wedding planner that encouraged child marriage as young as twelve years old.

It was previously reported that the government denounced the company’s attempt to promote child marriage as the practices violate the rights of children.

"Getting married at a very young age is against the purpose of the marriage law itself, which is supposed to bring benefit to the married couple," said the Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Muhadjir Effendy in a statement last week. 

Child marriage violates Law No. 16/2019 on Marriage. It mentions that girls and boys can marry with parental consent at 19 years.

Muhadjir further added that getting married at a young age would harm the children and the nation's future generations.

(Writer: Deti Mega Purnamasari, Nicholas Ryan Aditya | Editor: Dani Prabowo, Diamanty Meiliana)

Sources:https://nasional.kompas.com/read/2021/02/15/15513921/kemenko-pmk-keluarga-dan-anak-punya-peran-dalam-mencegah-perkawinan-anak

https://nasional.kompas.com/read/2021/02/13/12441941/soal-aisha-weddings-menko-pmk-kecam-ajakan-pernikahan-anak