The Jakarta Post
Anti-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, addin...