Indonesia – Photo of Teens Trying to Register Marriage Went Viral & Prompts the Government to Move Towards Ban on Child Marriage
Author: WUNRN
Date: May 22, 2018
A viral picture of a teenage couple trying to get married has sparked outrage in Indonesia and prompted the government to move towards a ban on child brides.
Provided by Independent Print Limited indonesia.jpg
April 25, 2018 – A photo of a 15-year-old boy and a girl, 14, trying to register their marriage on the island of Sulawesi has been shared widely online since last week, sparking renewed pressure on the government to end such underage unions.
The couple had sought permission from a religious court for their marriage – which was given – and the girl told reporters their union was her “destiny” after they had been dating for five months.
Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim nation, is among 10 countries with the highest number of girls marrying before they turn 18, according to campaign group Girls Not Brides.
Under Indonesian laws, girls can marry at the age of 16, and 19 for boys if parents give their consent but religious courts can grant permission for people to marry younger.
Young: The girl, who is 14, said marrying her 15-year-old boyfriend was her ‘destiny’
After the story of the young couple circulated, President Joko Widodo has agreed to sign a decree that would ban child marriage, a spokeswoman at the Women Empowerment and Child Protection Ministry told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.
No other details were available immediately, but the spokeswoman said public dialogues on the matter would be held.
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