In 2023, UNICEF reported that Indonesia ranks fourth globally for the number of girls married under the age of 18, with 25.53 million affected. This also places Indonesia at the top of Southeast Asia for child marriage cases. A study by WHO Indonesia found that one of the causes of stunting in the country is the prevalence of early marriage.
According to a report from rri.co.id, the rate of child marriage in Sumbawa Barat (KSB) Regency remains relatively high. Thus, involving young people in socialization activities about reproductive health and the dangers of child marriage is seen as an effective way to build awareness and change mindsets in the community, especially among children.
Muhammad Ikraman, Project Manager at CARE Indonesia, emphasized the importance of engaging youth through the Child Forum in campaigns to prevent child marriage. “Involving teenagers in preventing child marriage is expected to allow them to communicate effectively with their peers using youth-friendly language. This can inspire other children to follow positive examples. Last December, a youth class was held at SMPN 1 Jeraweh and SMPN 1 Sekongkang, with a total of 100 students participating,” he said on Wednesday (January 15).
Ikraman explained that the child forum was established due to the high rate of stunting in the villages, as well as cases of children who are pregnant and suffering from chronic energy deficiency (KEK), receiving supplementary feeding in KSB. “The child forum was created as a platform for them to engage in positive activities and create awareness to prevent stunting. From this forum, children are selected as facilitators to educate their peers on reproductive health and the dangers of child marriage,” he added.
“Currently, five villages have established Child Forums, namely Maluk, Pasir Putih, Mantun, Benete, and Bukit Damai. The forum will also be expanded to other villages in the Maluk District. At present, the Child Forum has a total of 104 members, consisting of 63 girls and 41 boys,” Ikraman continued.
He mentioned that child marriages in KSB often occur due to a lack of understanding among teenagers about reproductive health and the risks of early marriage. “Economic factors also push families to marry off their children earlier. Some children marry to escape their families because they feel uncomfortable living at home,” he said.
Meiry Nasution, Health & Nutrition Specialist at CARE Indonesia, explained how child marriage contributes to stunting. “When a child becomes pregnant, their reproductive system is not ready to bear and develop a baby. This can lead to complications during pregnancy, such as bleeding due to underdeveloped hips, pre-eclampsia, anemia, miscarriage, premature birth, and low birth weight. Babies born with low birth weight need special care, but teenage mothers often lack the knowledge to care for their babies properly. This can result in stunting, as the babies do not receive adequate nutrition,” she explained.
She further added that the impact of child marriage is detrimental to children’s futures. “With child marriage, most of these children cannot continue their education, cannot pursue their dreams, and must work to support their families. Psychological impacts, such as stress, shame, and anxiety, can also affect children who have babies at a young age,” Meiry explained.
Meiry also highlighted efforts to strengthen child marriage prevention, mentioning that two villages in the Maluk District have issued village regulations (Perdes) on child protection. “Currently, the villages of Pasir Putih and Maluk have adopted Perdes on Child Protection. This regulation was introduced due to the high rate of child marriage in Maluk and the vulnerability of children, such as underage worker, pregnancy, and the high incidence of stunting. The presence of this regulation has led to changes such as preventing child marriages, eliminating underage worker in coastal cafes, and parents canceling their children’s marriages,” she said.
Efforts to prevent child marriage in Sumbawa Barat Regency involve multiple parties, including CARE Peduli Foundation, PT Amman Mineral, and the local government of KSB.
Rina Kartika, a Midwife and Youth Health Program Assistant, praised the involvement of young people in the prevention of child marriage. According to her, participants in the Youth Class were enthusiastic about the material and discussions on information and knowledge they could not obtain in the classroom. “The youth class on reproductive health education to prevent early marriage is very beneficial for teenagers. They can gain knowledge outside of school hours and open up new perspectives for children. I hope this continues and we can collaborate further in the future,” Rina concluded.
Author: Kukuh A. Tohari
Editor: Swiny Adestika