CHILD marriages are on a downward trend in the country, said Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Rina Harun.
In a parliamentary written reply yesterday (July 26), the Titiwangsa MP noted that the Department of Statistics (DOSM) reported 1,856 child marriages in 2018 and the number decreased to 1,459 in 2019 and was further reduced to 1,124 in 2020.
However, she did not share any data on the number of child marriages recorded in 2021.
In response to a question posed by Petaling Jaya MP Maria Chin Abdullah, Rina further elaborated that her ministry is implementing its national strategic plan in handling the causes of child marriages, which involve numerous agencies on federal and state levels as well as non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and international organisations.
The strategic plan comprised short-, medium- and long-term plans from 2020 to 2025, she added.
According to Rina, the strategic plan looked at issues across various sectors such as law, education, health, parenting, awareness, social support and the eradication of poverty to address the causes of child marriages at the grassroot level.
“This includes programmes aimed at raising awareness among the community to change the perceptions and stigmas that are commonly associated with underage marriages,” she remarked.
She said that her ministry has formed a steering committee whose aim is to monitor the implementation and progress of the strategic plan.
“The committee will also serve as a platform for the agencies involved to report on the implementation, issues and challenges while suggesting improvements to the programmes,” she noted. – July 27, 2022
