Teenage girls are too young to get married. They belong in school where they can get a good education and build a better future, says Tan. Photo: Freepik
Sixteen-year-old girls are too young to get married; they belong in school where they can get a good education and build a bright future, says Sarawak Women for Women Society (SWWS) vice-president Kim Tan.
Sarawak, Tan adds, has the highest number of child marriages in Malaysia, so this month, SWWS is organising the Sweet16 campaign which seeks legislative reforms to raise the minimum age of marriage to 18 years old for boys and girls.
“This is our very own campaign to eliminate child marriage in the state,” she says.
This is SWWS' very own campaign to eliminate child marriage in the state, says Tan. Photo: Sarawak Women for Women Society/InstagramAs of May this year, statistics from the Women, Early Childhood and Community Wellbeing Ministry, Sarawak reveal that there are over 1,600 registered marriages in the state (from 2017 to 2024) involving children below 18. They comprise 876 by customary law, 128 by civil law (2018 – Feb 2021) and 644 by Syariah law (2018 – Mar 2024).
In addition, Sarawak Islamic Religious Department (Jais) statistics show that between 2015 and 2023, Sarawak recorded 1,033 child Muslim marriages comprising 449 boys and 584 girls. The Sarawak Women and Family Council reveals that around around 1,600 child marriages have been recorded between 2011 and 2020.
“Child marriage is a significant issue in Sarawak, and this practice persists despite various legal frameworks and international conventions aimed at protecting children’s rights. The phenomenon is influenced by a combination of cultural, religious, economic and social factors,” Tan says.
She says SWWS aims to spread awareness to the public because child marriage negatively affects the lives of the young generation, and the future of the country.
The campaign is multi-faceted and includes a physical exhibition at the Community Social Support Centre (CSSC) in Kuching until Oct 30, an online campaign via social media, and roundtable discussions with native leaders.
“It runs online on our Instagram and TikTok accounts, and we have roundtable dialogues with leaders because currently our customary law allows for marriage of all ages. There is no set rule,” she says.
Dual legal system
As part of the Sweet16 campaign, there is a physical exhibition where the public can come and learn more about the issue. Photo: Sarawak Women for Women SocietyThe state’s legal stance on child marriage is shaped by both the civil and Syariah law.
“Under Sarawak’s civil law, the legal minimum age for marriage is 18 for both boys and girls. However, girls aged 16 and 17 can marry with the approval of the Chief Minister, and the consent of their parents. For Muslims, under the Syariah law, the minimum legal age for marriage is 18 for boys and 16 for girls, but it can happen at a younger age with the permission of a Syariah court judge,” says Tan.
Under customary law, the minimum age for marriage is not explicitly stated. Marriages are guided by traditional practices and community norms, which can vary among the different indigenous groups.
Media outlets have previously reported on child marriages in Sarawak. In 2020, it was reported that a 12-year-old Sarawakian girl from the Penan tribe was legally married off to an 18-year-old boy. She dropped out of school, became pregnant and delivered a child soon after. According to her grandfather, this is the tribe’s way of life, and the practice has existed since ancestral times.
It was also reported that another girl, aged 13, was married off due to poverty to ease her parents’ burden. And a 16-year-old girl was married off to her 32-year-old boyfriend after she got pregnant.
These are just three of the many indigenous children who were married off before they become adults.
The campaign also goes online on Instagram and TikTok. Photo: Sarawak Women for Women SocietyTan reiterates that there are many reasons behind child marriage, including poverty, religion, cultural norms, family problems and teenage pregnancies.
“But we cannot allow it to happen because of the many negative repercussions,” she adds.
“Not only does it shorten a girl’s childhood and education, there is also the likelihood of it negatively impacting her health, because she is still in her formative years, physically,” she says.
The exhibition takes place from 11am to 5pm (Monday to Friday) and from 11am to 6pm (Saturday and Sunday). More info on Instagram and TikTok: @sweet16swws and @sarawakwomen.
