Reconsider stand on child marriages, govt told

 

The government says it has no plans to ban child marriage for now though it is committed to preventing such unions.

PETALING JAYA: A women’s group has urged the government to reconsider its stance against banning child marriages, saying the practice has long-term consequences on girls and boys.

“The longer it takes to eradicate the practice, the more girls and boys will be deprived of education and future employment opportunities,” said All Women’s Action Society (Awam) information and communications officer Jernell Tan.

“They’ll also get entrenched in the vicious cycle of poverty and be vulnerable to gender-based violence.”

Tan was commenting on women, family and community development minister Rina Harun’s statement that the government had no plans to ban child marriage for now though it was committed to preventing such unions.

The government, Rina said, was implementing the national strategic plan in handling the causes of child marriage.

Tan said while Awam appreciated the ministry’s commitment to ending child marriage, it should give “specific and realistic” timelines for implementing the plan, including a clear prohibition of the practice to reflect its commitment.

Women’s Aid Organisation (WAO) research and advocacy officer Anis Farid, meanwhile, said there was no reason for the government not to simultaneously address the root causes of child marriage and amend the law to ban the practice.

“The ministry’s strategic plan is important in targeting the root causes of child marriage and addressing the issue from there. We need to strengthen sexual and reproductive health education and socio-economic support to address child marriage.

“However, without legal provisions that specifically make child marriage illegal, the perception will still be that it is permissible,” she told FMT.

Anis urged the government to reconsider its stance on the child marriage ban, saying Putrajaya had an obligation to protect the most vulnerable.

“There is strong societal support for banning child marriage. In a recent WAO survey on Malaysian public attitudes and perceptions towards violence against women, child marriage was an issue that Malaysians strongly opposed, with over 70% saying they were against child marriage in any and all forms.

“Additionally, neighbouring countries Cambodia and Thailand have already banned child marriage while both the Philippines and Indonesia have raised their minimum age of marriage, demonstrating how there is no better time than the present to act against child marriage,” she said.

Segambut MP Hannah Yeoh said Rina should execute the five-year road map to phase out child marriage developed during former minister Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail’s tenure.

“A committee had been set up to track the progress of the road map, with specific plans for government agencies, prepared and launched by Wan Azizah.

“But it boils down to the will of the ministry’s leadership, both the minister and deputy. Their answers do not show will or excitement in working on the road map,” she told FMT.

Yeoh said Rina’s answer sent the wrong message about the government’s intent, adding that there needed to be more proactive engagements with state governments and religious authorities. - FMT