The Fewer Children In Tanjungpinang Who Are 'Nekat' Married Young Age

Head of Women's Empowerment for Child Protection and Community Empowerment (DP3APM) Rustam (Photo via Antara)

JAKARTA - The number of child marriages in Tanjungpinang City, Riau Islands in 2022 has dropped dramatically compared to the previous year.

"Children's age marriages in Tanjungpinang have decreased from 30 cases in 2021 to six cases in 2022," said Head of the Women's Empowerment and Community Empowerment (DP3APM) Rustam in Tanjungpinang, Friday, January 13, quoted from Antara. Children's age marriages during 2022 spread across six sub-districts, namely Tanjung Ayun Sakti, Tanjung Unggat, Air Raja, Pinang Kencana, Melayu, Diring City and Batu IX, with one case each.

Judging from the gender, as many as two children who married at the age of children were boys and the remaining four girls.

Meanwhile, cases of child marriage during 2021 are spread across 13 urban villages, namely Sei Jang one child, Tanjung Ayun Sakti one child, Dompak five children, Tanjung Unggat one child, Cambodia two children, and Kampung Baru one child.

Then in Tanjungpinang Barat four children, Senggarang three children, Pengat satu anak, Kampung Bugis sua anak, Pinang Kencana one child, Melayu Kota Piring empat anak, Batu IX one child and from outside the area three children.

"Judging from gender, child marriage in 2021 as many as six children are boys and 24 girls," he said.

According to Rustam, the decrease in cases of child marriage in 2022 is due to several reasons, including the government intensively socializing the problem of the potential for children to suffer stunting or stunting that is born to married couples at an early age.

In addition, the government also continues to promote the dissemination of information on the importance of marriage at a mature age so that a quality family can be realized.

"We always urge that child marriage has the potential to cause maternal mortality rates, so that children are born premature because the condition of the uterus is not ready," said Rustam.

He continued that although child marriage decreased in 2022, the potential to increase again in 2023 still exists.

Therefore, it is necessary to be aware of all parties, including the children themselves, parents, the community and relevant stakeholders, to continue to prevent and supervise children so that they do not fall into certain actions, resulting in emergency conditions that often motivated by child marriage.

"In addition to the vigilance of all parties, collaborative efforts are also needed in order to prevent child marriage in Tanjungpinang," said Rustam.