Children need not only to participate, but to participate meaningfully. This means that children become active agents who observe, question, and transform their surroundings. One of the ways Wahana Visi Indonesia (WVI) supports meaningful child participation is by conducting research led by children, commonly known as Children-Led Research (CLR).
Children in one of WVI’s programme villages in Bengkayang Regency, West Kalimantan, have carried out CLR. One of the young researchers actively involved is Meirlin (15). She began this research after observing her peers marrying at a young age. Through this study, Meirlin gained a deeper understanding of the causes and impacts of child marriage and presented her findings to the village government.
“My junior high school friend was very active and kind. However, one day I heard that she had decided to drop out of school without a clear reason. Sometime later, I found out that she left school because she got married at a very young age. I felt sad and confused and began asking why she decided to marry. My questions were also accompanied by other negative thoughts,” said Meirlin.
What Meirlin felt was later expressed through a research project. In addition to Meirlin, members of the Village Children’s Forum were also involved as researchers.
For Meirlin, her involvement in CLR was not only an opportunity to drive change in her environment, but also a transformative personal experience. By actively participating in CLR, she discovered courage and self-confidence, realising that she can do something for her peers.
During the process of developing the research with her friends, Meirlin came to understand that the decision for children to drop out of school and marry is influenced by a range of complex factors. CLR was not only a space for discussion but also encouraged children to conduct direct interviews to uncover the real conditions in their community.
“From that, I learned that one of the factors causing my friends to leave school is economic hardship. Marriage is seen as the easiest option. Since then, I stopped judging them and instead became more determined to find solutions to this problem. I believe I can help my friends,” she explained.
She also shared that the research has begun to bring positive changes in the community. “Gradually, they are starting to understand the importance of completing their education first and are becoming brave again to pursue their dreams,” she added.
Seeing this situation, Meirlin hopes that children in her village will have the opportunity to continue their education without rushing into marriage at a young age. She also hopes that the village government can provide concrete solutions and stronger policies to prevent child marriage.
Author: Agata Yuspita (Sponsorship Information Officer in Bengkayang Area Programme)
Editor: Mariana Kurniawati (Communication Executive)