Jakarta. Indonesia recorded a child marriage rate of 9.23 percent in 2023, equivalent to 163,371 incidents, according to the latest data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS).

This means that one out of nine females experiences child marriage. In contrast, the ratio is 1 in 100 for males aged 20-24 who marry as children.

Agus Suryo Suripto, the Director of Family Development at the Religious Affairs Ministry, said that the ministry was concerned about the alarming prevalence of child marriages in Indonesia.

Addressing around 1,000 high school students in Jakarta, Suryo said that two crucial aspects need to be prepared before marriage: self-management awareness and religious strengthening.

"Firstly, prepare for the future by building self-management awareness; every adolescent has potential that must be developed. The younger generation has a future to strive for. Secondly, strengthen religious education because religion serves as a defense against negative social environments," Suryo said on Wednesday.

To curb child marriages, the ministry has implemented a program for students known as School-Age Youth Guidance Plus (BRUS), incorporating character education.

According to the law on marriage, a marriage is permissible only if the man is at least 19 years old and the woman is 16 years old. However, this provision may lead to child marriages as the child protection law defines a child as someone under 18 years old.

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