"Dissemination of information and education are needed to boost understanding and awareness of the community regarding the negative impacts of child marriage," the ministry's acting deputy for the coordination of children, women, and youth's quality improvement, Didik Suhardi, said when contacted on Thursday.
Child marriage can have negative impacts, for instance, it can lead to domestic violence, divorce, stunting in children, and the emergence of new poor families, he explained.
According to Suhardi, his ministry is continuing to encourage various strategic efforts to prevent child marriage.
"We encourage the relevant ministries and agencies and regional governments to make preventive efforts, among others, by disseminating information regarding the minimum (age) limit of marriage, namely 19 years," he said.
Then, information regarding the need for physical and mental readiness for marriage also needs to be disseminated.
"The Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Culture is also encouraging the strengthening of the guidance program for school-age adolescents and the provision of assistance for prospective young brides and grooms vulnerable to poverty," he said.
He further said that, with the active role of all parties, programs for child marriage prevention are expected to run more optimally.
"Therefore, the strengthening of synergy and collaboration of all parties to prevent child marriage has become one of the priorities," he said.
Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Muhadjir Effendy has also invited all parties, especially parents, to prevent child marriage to prevent its negative impacts.
"It can be said that child marriage is far from readiness. For example, it is feared that (in terms of) the physical condition, a woman who gets married before the age of 18 years is not ready to give birth and become a mother," he said.
Giving birth at a young age can also put the lives of the mother and child at risk, he added.
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Translator: Wuryanti Puspitasari, Raka Adji
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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