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.

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"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.

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