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Activists urge authorities 'to protect children' amid requests for early marriage permits
According to KPAI data, only 22 percent of such marriages were carried out with the child's consent. The remaining marriages were performed for various other reasons, such as unwanted pregnancies, financial issues or the fear of “violating religious rules”.
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Children’s rights: Cipinang Besar Utara subdistrict chief Sri Sundari speaks about child marriage prevention at the Cipinang child-friendly public space in East Jakarta in this file photo. (The Jakarta Post/David Caessarre)
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nti-child marriage activists have urged judges at both local religious and district courts to refrain from granting marriage permits to underage children in violation of the groundbreaking revisions to the 1974 Marriage Law to prevent child marriage and protect children's rights.
National Commission for Child Protection (KPAI) commissioner Rita Pranawati said many early marriages were pushed for by parents who had not considered the harm that could befall their children.
According to KPAI data, only 22 percent of such marriages were carried out with the child's consent. The remaining marriages were performed for various other reasons, such as unwanted pregnancies, financial issues or the fear of “violating religious rules”.
"We hope the judges won't go too easy on granting marriage dispensation to underage children," Rita said on Tuesday, adding that about 91 percent of marriage dispensation requests were reportedly accepted by the authorities.
A marriage dispensation can be awarded by local courts if a request made by the parents of children below the marriageable age of 19 is approved.
Rita has pushed for the Supreme Court to set guidelines for judges to assure that only those who are truly prepared can obtain the dispensation.
A 2015 report by Statistics Indonesia (BPS) showed that child marriage was still rampant in Indonesia. One in four married women had married before the age of 18.
