Child Marriage, Stunting and Female Circumcision

kompas/handining

.

There are three important human development issues in Indonesia relevant to marking International Women’s Day 2018. The three issues are child marriage, chronic malnutrition (stunting) and female circumcision. These issues might even disrupt the nation from achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially point five on gender equality.

On the issue of child marriage, the Central Statistics Agency’s (BPS) 2012 national socioeconomic survey (Susenas) shows that 25 percent of married women between 20 and 24 years old were married before they were 18. The 2012 Indonesian Demographic and Health Survey (SDKI) reveals that 17 percent of married women between the ages of 20 and 24 were married before they were 18. It must be noted here that Indonesia is a global example of progress in eradicating child marriage.

This is indicated by the 5 percent decrease in the prevalence of child marriage in the SDKI of 2007 and 2012. However, as the BPS reported, regional trends on the prevalence of child marriage are rarely published, compared to the national trend (Delayed Progress: An Analysis of Data on Child Marriage in Indonesia, Unicef & BPS, 2015). This is despite the sharp differences in child marriage practices among the regions of Indonesia. In regions suffering from ecological crises, for example, the prevalence of child marriage tends to rise.

Child marriage clearly contributes to female health issues and stunting among children. This is because girls whose bodies are still developing and not yet mature are forced to share nutrients with either the fetus in their womb or an infant that requires breastfeeding. These girls are also forced to take up adult roles as a wife, a mother or a daughter-in-law in a culture that sees women as the caretaker of domestic affairs.

During the 1998 monetary crisis, as Kharisma Nugroho wrote in Anak Kerdil Bangsa Kerdil (Stunted Child, Stunted Nation, 2013), the specters of chronic malnutrition and stunting hung over the nation. Now, almost two decades since the rise of the Reform Era, malnutrition remains a major issue and is a disaster waiting to happen.

One in three Indonesian toddlers (36 percent) suffer from stunting (Riskesdas/Basic Health Study, 2007 and 2010). This is similar to the conditions in the Philippines (32 percent) and in Cambodia (40 percent). Of the 11 provinces that have stunting rates above the national average, nine are outside Java. On Java however, West Java and Banten, with abundant sources of nutrients, still have stunting rates above the national average.

Stunting reflects poor social welfare that affects a child’s development since from the fetal stage. It begins with pregnant women that are suffering from malnutrition, which leads to impaired fetal growth, newborns weighing less than 2,500 grams and poor breastfeeding, as well as poor nutrition and protein intake.

Due to this poor intake of nutrients, infants are prone to illness and non-optimal brain development. Despite the lack of specific data on boys and girls with stunted growth, the effect on girls is clearly greater, as their uterus may not develop properly for childbearing. Consequently, they may get pregnant one day and give birth to infants with poor health.

The Health Ministry’s 2010 Riskesdas data shows that the poorest socioeconomic class has the highest prevalence of stunting (quantile 1). However, significant numbers of stunting also occurs among women in the higher socioeconomic classes. More than 26.9 percent of toddlers (quantile 5) also have stunting. Thus, stunting cannot be seen merely as an issue of poverty and poor household care (including eating habits, child nurturing, the roles of husband/men). Stunting is also linked to macro issues, including food security and the quality of basic services and imbalanced gender relations in decision-making.

Female circumcision

Meanwhile, more foresight is required to in the issue of female circumcision. The problem is that global reports often cite Indonesia as having a high prevalence of female circumcision. This is technically correct, as Indonesian cultures are rife with coming-of-age rituals such as teeth filing and circumcision for girls.

Until the 1990s and before the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) in Cairo, the issue had rarely been discussed. French social researcher Andre Feillard said in his analysis that female circumcision in Indonesia was usually conducted without much fanfare and only involved mothers and paraji, or “circumcision shamans”.

The issue blew up only after the international community found widespread reports of female circumcision in Asian and African countries, including Indonesia. At first, the practice was purely traditional and only involved traditional authorities. However, after the international community issued a warning on the dangers of the practice, the state followed suit by issuing Health Ministry Regulation No. 100/2010.

The regulation clearly bans all dangerous customary practices and stipulates that circumcisions must involve medical professionals. Issuing the regulation, however, was deemed by the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) to indicate the state’s approval of such practices. The regulation was revised in 2014 to include a ban on clitoridectomy.

The medicalization of female circumcision has, in fact, expanded the practice. What was originally a mere traditional ritual has now become a healthcare service. Circumcisions are on the rise in line with the expansion of childbirth services provided by medical professionals in hospitals and maternity wards, with circumcision for newborn girls often being offered as part of the service.

Silent plague

The government realizes that these three issues are silent plagues. Government bodies have made a partial effort to try and address them. Supreme Court (MA) Ruling No. 3/2017, for instance, is an attempt to tackle legal cases with a gender-sensitive approach. Child marriage is essentially banned, but courts can issue marriage dispensations, or isbat nikah.

The Religious Affairs Ministry has warned that people should refer to Article 6 of the 1974 Marriage Law, which states that brides and grooms must be at least 21 years of age to be married, instead of referring to Article 7 that stipulates the minimum requirements for filing a marriage certificate.

The Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection Ministry has included the eradication of child marriage as a parameter for Child-Friendly Cities and Regencies. However, the state has seemingly taken only a few steps toward curbing female circumcision. This is despite a number of studies conducted by Komnas Perempuan (National Commission on Violence Against Women) that highlight the medicalization of circumcision as an entry point to legalizing female circumcision.

Consequently, as the international community celebrates women’s day, Indonesia is still in the midst of facing these three major hurdles. Without resolving all three, it will be difficult for the country to achieve its SDG targets, and Indonesia may very well be seen as failing to provide safety and security for girls’ development.

LIES MARCOES, Empowerment Program Coordinator, Rumah Kitab