Why can't Indonesia let go of child marriage?

Around one in every 10  marriages each year in Indonesia involves a person under the age of 18.

Child marriage primarily affects young girls and deprives them of education, opportunities and basic rights.

It is also deeply tied to cultural, economic and social pressures.

Progress in reducing the rates of child marriage has been slow, particularly in rural areas where poverty and tradition continue to fuel the practice.

West Java, East Java, and Central Java together account for 55 per cent of all child marriages in the country. This alarming statistic highlights the need for urgent action to protect the rights of young girls, many of whom are forced into early marriages due to financial hardship, social pressure, and limited access to education.

The Indonesian government aims to reduce the child marriage rate from 11.2 per cent in 2018 to 8.74 per cent by 2024, as part of its 2020-2024 National Medium-Term Development Plan (RPJMN).

Getting there will require strengthening law enforcement, providing better educational and healthcare resources, and addressing the cultural and economic factors driving early marriage.

Economic pressures and cultural norms

Research highlights that nearly 80 per cent of parents involved in early marriages live in poverty. These families often rely on subsistence farming or low-wage jobs, such as agricultural labor, domestic work, or irregular employment like sand digging or motorcycle taxi driving.

Parents facing these financial hardships view early marriage as a solution to ease their economic burdens, particularly when dowries are involved. For many, the immediate financial benefit of marrying off a daughter outweighs the potential long-term advantages of keeping her in school.

Cultural traditions further reinforce this practice. About 73 per cent of parents surveyed in rural Indonesia support child marriage to maintain cultural traditions, and 65 percent believe it is not prohibited by religion, as long as the child has reached puberty.

The pressure to conform to community norms and avoid social ostracism often leads families to accept marriage proposals for their daughters, sometimes from much older men, perpetuating the cycle of gender inequality.

Educational barriers and social pressures Access to education plays a crucial role in preventing child marriage, but many rural areas suffer from limited educational infrastructure.

Two-thirds of surveyed parents had low levels of formal education, which affects their perception of the value of education for their children.

In rural areas, schools are often located far from homes, and transport costs further strain already struggling families. Although the government may provide financial aid for schooling, many parents redirect this support to meet immediate household needs, rather than invest in their child's education, especially in the case of daughters.

Social pressure also plays a major role in child marriage. Families fear community backlash or even superstitious consequences if they refuse marriage proposals, further entrenching the practice. In rural areas, parents believe marrying off their daughters increases family prestige and alleviates household burdens.

More than 60 percent of parents surveyed stated that early marriage helped reduce family responsibilities, and 67 percent viewed it as a means to ensure family continuity.

Long-lasting impact

The effects of child marriage are severe and long-lasting, affecting not only the girls involved but also their families and communities.

Girls married at a young age are more likely to suffer from physical and psychological trauma, including complications from childbirth and mental health issues, due to their abrupt transition into adult responsibilities.

Child marriage often leads to divorce, leaving many young women as single mothers, further entrenching them in poverty and isolation.

In some regions, such as coastal Java, a phenomenon known as ngeranda has emerged, in which young men seek out divorced women for marriage due to the scarcity of single, never-married women. This reflects the high divorce rates in areas where child marriage is prevalent, leaving young women vulnerable and unsupported.

Moreover, child marriage perpetuates intergenerational poverty. Girls forced into early marriage are less likely to complete their education, which limits their future employment opportunities and economic independence. Their children, in turn, often grow up in poverty, with limited access to education and healthcare, continuing the cycle of disadvantage.

Government efforts and challenges

The Indonesian government has made efforts to curb child marriage, integrating it into broader national development plans.

Policies such as the compulsory education program for children aged 7-15 have improved enrolment rates, but dropout rates remain high, especially at the high school level. Rural families still face challenges such as transportation costs and low educational aspirations, which continue to fuel early marriages.

The government has also introduced a draft law from the Department of Religious Affairs, proposing fines of up to 6 million rupiah ($AU582) for those who marry off underage children and 12 million rupiah ($AU1,164) for officiants who facilitate these marriages.

However, enforcement remains a challenge, especially in rural areas where local customs often supersede national laws.

In collaboration with international agencies like UNICEF and UN Women, the country has launched programs aimed at reducing child marriage and promoting equal opportunities for women and girls.

Additionally, health centres in rural districts are not functioning effectively, with more than 40 per cent of parents indicating that health workers do not sufficiently explain the risks of child marriage.

Addressing root causes

While child marriage rates have decreased by 3.5 per cent over the past decade, the decline has been uneven. Rural areas are seeing a faster reduction than urban areas, but overall progress is not enough to meet the government's 2024 target.

Addressing the root causes of child marriage requires a multifaceted approach that tackles the cultural, economic and educational factors driving the practice.

Community leaders, particularly religious figures, play a critical role in shifting societal attitudes toward child marriage. By promoting the importance of education and advocating for delayed marriage until girls are older, these leaders can help break down the cultural norms that perpetuate early marriage. Their involvement is essential in regions where local traditions hold more influence than national law.

In addition to cultural interventions, the government must strengthen enforcement of child marriage laws and improve access to education and healthcare in rural areas.

Programs that provide economic support to poor families and increase access to job training could reduce the financial incentives for early marriage, allowing families to invest in their daughters' education instead.