- July 4, 2019 @ 5:09pm
KOTA KINABALU: The Sabah Women Affairs Department will be organising an awareness campaign on child marriage, starting in Ulu Sugut, Ranau, on Tuesday.
Its director, Masturah Jamrah, said the one-day programme would be held in rural areas as most marriages involving children occurred in the interior.
“Some of the communities allow marriage without a thought about the age of the girl.
“The department hopes this programme will bring awareness and knowledge to the children, family and community about the child marriage issue,” she said in a statement.
The campaign will provide guidance and skills to target groups of 500 people, which include children aged 13 to 17, parents, teachers and, school and community leaders.
The programme’s objectives include educating participants on psychology, marriage, family life, law and the reproductive system, and counselling.
Yesterday, the state government said it would amend the laws to end child marriage.
Assistant Law and Native Affairs Minister Janie Lasimbang had said that legal reforms on setting the minimum marriage age at 18 were expected to be discussed during the state assembly sitting next month.
A task force will be formed to look into the implementation of the law and follow up through interventions.
She said social norms was one of the factors contributing to child marriages, where pregnant teens were forced by their families to get married.
The consequences of child marriages include early divorce, economic loss and undocumented children.
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