Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Muhadjir Effendy has stated that the number of child marriages increased during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“With the continued increase in the number of child marriages, especially during this pandemic, it is really concerning for all of us, even the impact can be an opportunity for intergenerational poverty,” said Muhadjir in the “Prevention of Child Marriage” webinar on Saturday 25th September.
Muhadjir said the marriages would make it difficult for children to access education and develop themselves. Moreover, a lot of domestic violence occurs because of child marriage.
“Meanwhile, children, when they are married, are also burdened with the responsibility of being a housewife, being a father of a housewife, who has not had the time,” he said.
Muhadjir also said that parenting is very important. Maturity and quality of the partner, he continued, will greatly affect the upbringing and care of children.
“If the care for these children is low, then, of course, it will give birth to generations who are also not qualified,” he said.
Based on this, Muhadjir invited children to become agents of change in an effort to prevent child marriage. He encouraged children to have the courage to think, be creative, and be responsible for preventing child marriage.
“Starting from yourself, then to your peers and convey it to your parents, then to schools, and broadly of course to the general public,” he concluded.