19 Churches in Kubu Raya Declare Against Child Marriage

Data of Katadata.co.id shows that 97% of the 34,000 applications for dispensation to marry before the age of 19 occurred in 2020. Wahana Visi Indonesia Area Program (WVI AP) Kubu Raya also found a similar thing, at least two reports of early marriages occurred in the last two months during the pandemic period.

Seeing this phenomenon, WVI AP Kubu Raya in collaboration with the PPHTGD organization (Service and Servant of God's Frontline Fellowship) in Ambawang District held capacity building and development of a roadmap on Child-Friendly Church (GRA) in the context of Kubu Raya. As a result, 19 local churches declared their rejection of child marriage through a commitment not to accept marriage blessing services for child-aged couples and support all child protection efforts in Kubu Raya Regency.

Responding to this commitment, Pdt. Zakaria Tubi S.Th (58), pastor of the GGBI Church who was one of the participants in the activity, said that communication should always be carried out between adults and children to prevent child marriages.

"I have to protect the children I serve in the church, and protecting children from early marriage is my priority and of course I'm not alone, there are pastors and WVI as well," he said to the other participants.

The development of GRA has been carried out by WVI AP Kubu Raya for a long time which focuses on protecting children from acts of violence and child marriage, increasing the capacity of parenting with love, developing Information Communication and Education. Furthermore, the church is expected to have a register of congregations and children, so that it can be the initiator of accelerating the issuance of legal documents for children.

Written by: David Pandapotan, Area Program Manager of Wahana Visi Indonesia