Child Brides No More

Child marriage has become a global issue because of its obstructive impact on growth and development. In Indonesia, according to UNICEF and the Central Statistics Agency (BPS), some 300,000 girls every year are married off before they turn 18. The problem is exacerbated by Law No. 1/1974 on Marriage, which sets the minimum age of marriage at 16 for girls and 19 for boys. Such marriages strip children of their right to education and can lead to health risks for expectant young mothers. In West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), the practice is reinforced by tradition and a conservative society. But a local NGO, the Yayasan Tunas Alam Indonesia (Indonesian Nature Foundation), is facilitating villages in implementing a customary law that would increase the minimum age of marriage. Tempo English visited NTB last month to report on efforts to end the archaic practice.