Don T Sweep Child Marriage Under The Carpet

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 I must laud former MP Kasthuri Patto for reminding Malaysians that child marriage still persists in our country despite being a hot topic of discussion during the first Pakatan Harapan administration.
As a young female lawyer from Sabah I would like to echo her call for the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry to table a progress report on the National Strategy Plan in Handling the Causes of Child Marriage.
While the demand for transparency is commendable, the bigger issue remains—why are we still tolerating child marriage at all? The government’s slow and fragmented approach to reform is failing to protect vulnerable children, and urgent, decisive action is needed before more lives are irreversibly affected.
Yes, we have made incremental progress in reducing child marriage numbers but that does not change the fact that it remains legal in many states. Reports and strategies may give the illusion of action, but they mean little if children continue to be married off due to legal loopholes, economic hardships, and societal pressures.
The time for gradual reform is over—it is time for Malaysia to impose an outright ban on child marriage with no exceptions.
Incremental progress not enough
The plan, introduced in 2020, was supposed to tackle the root causes of child marriage. While it outlines education programmes, poverty alleviation measures, and awareness campaigns, its effectiveness remains highly questionable.
The plan was mooted when Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail was helming the women’s ministry and Hannah Yeoh was her deputy. Since then the government has changed hands on three occasions and I wonder if a lack of continuity is to blame for a lack of linear progress.
Statistics showing declines in child marriage applications in certain states do not reflect a nationwide success as many states continue to permit it under existing religious and customary laws.
Former women, family and community development minister Dr Wan Azizah Wan IsmailThe reality is that other countries, including several Muslim-majority nations, have successfully enacted outright bans on child marriage. Neighbours Indonesia raised the minimum marriage age for girls to 19 in 2019, despite facing similar cultural and religious considerations.
If Indonesia can do it, why is Malaysia dragging its feet?
Under existing laws, Muslim girls can marry as young as 16 with a judge’s permission, and non-Muslims can do so with the approval of the chief minister or menteri besar. This patchwork legal framework allows child marriage to persist despite growing awareness of its harms.
Yet, many Muslim-majority nations, including Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Bangladesh, have taken steps to curb or eliminate child marriage by raising the legal age of marriage to 18 or higher. This proves that religious and cultural considerations do not have to be barriers to legal reform.
Children become vulnerable
The consequences of child marriage are well-documented, yet the government continues to treat the issue as a policy debate rather than an ongoing human rights violation.
Child brides are at significantly higher risk of domestic violence, early pregnancy complications, and mental health struggles. Many are pulled out of school, trapping them in cycles of poverty and dependency.
Instead of prioritising protection and enforcement, I am sorry to say that the government’s approach remains reactive—monitoring numbers rather than implementing a clear legal ban.
How many more child brides must endure abuse and lost opportunities before Malaysia enforces the change it claims to support?
Education and community engagement are necessary to shift mindsets, but legal change must come first. It is only when child marriage is completely outlawed that societal attitudes will begin to align with modern human rights standards.
I implore our minister Nancy Shukri to take bold action on this matter.
Economic solutions
Poverty is one of the strongest drivers of child marriage. Many families marry off their daughters because they believe it provides financial security or reduces their economic burden. This is why tackling the root economic causes of child marriage is crucial in any effort to eradicate it.
However, existing financial aid programmes in Malaysia do not go far enough. Many vulnerable families still lack access to sustained economic support, education subsidies, and vocational training opportunities that could provide alternatives to early marriage.
The government must implement stronger financial support initiatives, particularly for rural and marginalised communities, ensuring that no child is married off due to economic desperation.
Most importantly, child protection should not be subject to debate or gradual reform. It is a fundamental human right. Malaysia must stop compromising on this issue and take an unequivocal stand against child marriage once and for all.
A country’s commitment to human rights is measured by how it protects its most vulnerable members. Malaysia cannot claim to prioritise children’s rights while still permitting child marriage in any form.
The time for discussions and reports is over—it is time for Malaysia to take decisive, irreversible action. The longer we wait, the more children will pay the price. - Mkini
NURUL ANNA MAUSAR is a law student committed to upholding justice, advocating for human rights, and being a voice for her community.
The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of MMKtT.

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