Locals that are members of the Village Child Protection Group (KPAD) hold their monthly meeting in Menoro village in Sedan district, Rembang regency, Central Java on Wednesday (19/4). The meeting, which was attended by the Village Children’s Forum, discussed efforts to enable children to receive 12 years of education.
Limited knowledge and economy makes children in small villages in Central Java vulnerable. They are often trapped in underage marriages, resulting early pregnancy and disrupted education. Not wanting to be victims, villagers in Rembang regency fight back.
The halls of the Menoro Village administration office in Sedan district, Rembang, were noisy on Wednesday (19/4) morning. Representatives of the village administrator, community organizations, parents and children were in discussion with members of the Menoro Village Child Protection Group (KPAD). They were discussing models of awareness and advocacy so that children in their village could attend school for 12 years.
“Representatives of children and parents are expected to understand the importance of education and avoiding under-18 marriages. They will spread the message to other residents around the village,” said Kumiati, chairperson of KPAD Menoro. The group was established in June 2015 and inaugurated by the Rembang regency administration in September 2016.
The discussion was one of a series of KPAD Menoro’s activities. The establishment of the KPAD started with the concerns of residents over the number of teenage pregnancies and underage marriage in Menoro, which was high.
In Menoro village, Kumiati said, around 5 to 8 women under 18 years old get married every year. The marriage was triggered by several reasons, such as personal intention, social tradition and even extramarital pregnancy. In fact, women under 16 years old came to the religious court, demanding the court to legalize her marriage.
Such condition leads to high school dropouts in Menoro. Teenagers who got married usually quit school; minimal education provides them with limited access to employment. Efforts are being made to cut this circle of poverty at the grassroots.
One of the KPAD’s missions is to reduce the number of teenage pregnancies and child marriages. This is carried out through various activities, such as a village children’s forum, meeting with parents and raising awareness at school.
“Awareness activities include placing stickers about the child marriage ban on the door of residential homes,” said Kumiati, showing a sticker that reads “18+ for marriage, prioritize 12 years’ education for children”. The sticker lists two phone numbers for consultations.
Raising awareness involves children. Dina Nur Farikha, 17, for example, joined KPAD through the Menoro Village Children’s Forum. She tried to talk to her friend who planned to marry. She exchanged views about the pluses and minuses of marrying young for their future.
About 10 kilometers from Menoro Village, a KPAD was also formed in Woro Village of Kragan district. KPAD Woro has become an example for the whole district. They often work together with the village apparatuses to draft and socialize child protection regulations. One of these is that the village head must not issue a marriage recommendation if the couple is under 18 years old.
“The regulation has curbed the number of child marriages. The trend is declining every year,” said Didik Dimyati, 37, a counselor for KPAD Woro, which provides counseling and advocacy.
Low access
Low access to education, health education and economy triggers child marriage and teenage pregnancy. The human development index of Rembang stands at 68.60, lower than Central Java’s index of 69.98.
Research by the Credos Institute shows that the number of child marriages in Rembang is high. The prevalence of women aged from 20-24 years old who married when they were under 18 is 33.1 percent. This is higher than the national average of 25.4 percent and Central Java’s average of 20 percent.
Rembang regency’s Social Affairs, Women’s Empowerment and Family Planning Office head Dwi Wahyuni said the KPAD was formed out of concern for the low degree of child protection in villages.
The KPAD was first established from 2011-2012 under the supervision of Plan International Indonesia, a nonprofit organization that deals with child protection and advocacy.
The Rembang regency administration responded to the movement positively. The regional head was aware that early marriage did not only strip children of education, but also increased their risk of infant and maternal mortality. It also slowed economic development in the region.
Structurally, the KPAD was legalized under Bylaw No. 6/2016 on Child Protection. “Each district must have at least two KPAD. KPAD reduces the burden of child protectionon the government,” said Dwi.
Under the regulation, the village head is instructed to allocate a special budget for the KPAD. The by law has brought a positive impact and today, there are 287 KPAD in Rembang.
National example
KPAD Rembang was officiated by the Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection Ministry as national example, that child protection could be applied at the village level through a structured organization and administration. In 2010, Rembang was awarded as a child-friendly regency.
Plan International Indonesia’s ”Yes I Do” program manager Amrullah said the KPAD concept had been implemented in some villages since 2009. As of today, 280 pilot KPAD sexist in four provinces: Jakarta, Central Java, West Nusa Tenggara and East Nusa Tenggara. “The KPAD is positioned as the village apparatus to fight for child protection programs at the lowest level. Children’s rights are expected to be fulfilled and violence could be reduced,” said Amrullah.
Daerobi, head of Jurang hamlet in Woro village, said the KPAD brought many benefits for the people, particularly in reducing the rate of child marriage. Parents and children get free counseling on child protection. They become aware of reproductive health, gender relations, the importance of communication and preventing violence against children.
Since the KPAD was formed, the marriage record at Kragan District’s Religious Affairs Office shows a continuing decline in the number of woman who marry under 18 years old, from 162 in 2014 to 143 in 2015, and to 131 in 2016. The number of men who marry below the ages of 19-24 also declined.
Underage marriage and teenage pregnancy must be solved from upstream to downstream, from improving education access to overhauling the regional economy. After all, children need to receive more protection from their closest family members and relatives in order to prevent early marriage, to achieve their dreams and to end the circle of poverty.
