Gunungkidul – The issue of child marriage may no longer be a new issue but it has been a problem that has not been resolved until now. Many teenagers do not really understand what an child marriage is and the bad effects of having an marriage in early age. According to the problem, it needs a accompaniment for young generations to increase their understanding.

In this case, Rifka Annisa actively conducts discussions with the teenagers. The topic for each discussions are different. Rifka Annisa held a discussion with teenagers in the Kepek village Saptosari district Gunungkidul regency to prevention child marriage, on Sunday (23/7).

In the discussion program, Rifka Annisa explained to adolescent about prevention of child marriage. The discussion was guided by Khoirun Ni'mah as Public Relations and Media of Rifka Annisa staff who also often held discussions with youth and students in Rifka Goes To School (RGTS) program. Nurmawati as the Manager of Community Organizing and Advocacy Division of Rifka Annisa also attended it.

During the two hours of discussion, the participants did not only get informations but also make a group discussions. The participants were divided into group of girls and groups of boys to discuss child marriage and its impacts, as well as to see the comparison between boys and girls thinking in understanding child marriage.

The result of the group discussion was nearly 80% of participants understood the child marriage and its impacts. “The cause of child marriage is pregnant out of wedlock. If a girl is already pregnant, she usually is married although she is still a child, but that's coercion from parents. It happens when she has a rich boyfriend, so the parents urge her to get married because of economic factors. Then the impacts are she is vulnerable to disease, experience violence, has economic crisis, etc,” said Putri, one of the participants who is junior high school student.

“It usually occur because of parents want to have grandchildren quickly, also social pressure. It could be because a child marriage is considered to be common in the social environment. The effects are divorce, easy to fight because of their mindset are still unstable, troublesome parents, and low economy  condtion,” added Mulyanto, one of the participants from boy group.

Although the participants have correctly understand the child marriage, there is no guarantee that they are free from vulnerability to be victim because it always requires intense control and guidance. Based on realizing the very harmful impacts, Rifka Annisa seeks to join teenagers and society to change the paradigm. That Rifka Annisa`s program are certainly very positive contribution for Indonesia and the surrounding community because Rifka Annisa have a active role to protect children and the nation's generation. (Lamtiar Tambunan)

Translated by Ana Widiawati