Two cases of Marriage were being reviewed simultaneously on Thursday (10/16) at MK Plenary Room (MK). The Applicants accentuated their arguments by presenting some experts, Fransisca Handy, a Pediatrician, and Maria Ulfah Anshor as KPAI Commissioner. Both said that early marriage may lead to reproduction health and children psychological issues.   

Fransisca started his explanation about children age definition. Those whose age ranging from 0 to 18 are considered children. If one allowed to get married at 16, it is considered children marriage. From her data, Fransisca said that in 2012 children marriage occurred to 12,6% of Indonesians.

Early marriage spurs several medical issues, such as mental disturbance, transmitted sexual disease, pregnancy and birth disorder, and baby nuisance, according to Fransisca.

Early marriage actually happened beyond children’s willing and forced, of which may lead to children’s mental disorder. “Risk of household abuses are high, not to mention polygamy or low education issues. Children are prone of coping, which may result in mental disorder,” Fransisca said.     

Aside from mental disorder, physical issues also emerged. Transmitted sexual diseases are commonly encountered by the Children groom/bride. Syphilis, HIV, hepatitis B, HPV are filling the already-long list of STD. Infection are common due to the unripe reproduction organs they’re having.   

Pregnancy nuisances are also eyeing them. WHO’s data mentioned that early pregnancy is usually unplanned. It’s not debatable that they are ignorant to the condition in their wombs.   

“Teenage Moms are vulnerable to hypertension, an early symptom to pre-eclampsia, anemia, and malnutrition lowering their immunities. If HIV breached, fire load of the viruses are higher and also infiltrating the womb,” Fransisca said.

Meanwhile, Maria Ulfah Anshor said that the main factors of early marriage are poverty, low education, custom, and low awareness. Trapped in a helix, children discontinued their education in order to take care of their households. “Data shows the earlier the marriage, the lower the education will be. Unified research even said that marriage is the main reason for women to discontinue their study,” Maria said.

Maria emphasized that early marriage is ,no matter how, unacceptable and opposes the Constitution. (Yusti Nurul Agustin)