Related — West Lombok man marries 2 underage girls in less than a month

Erni Suryana, secretary of the Family Planning, Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection agency in West Lombok, told Detik that officials held a meeting this week with village chiefs in the regency, whereby they all signed the pledge.

“[They all signed] a letter indicating that they will not be involved or facilitate child marriages. Officers from the West Lombok Police will also be present,” Erni previously said. 

“After we have done this in all the districts [in West Lombok], if [child marriage] happens again, we will drag them to face the law.”

Data from the agency shows that there were 245 cases of child marriage in West Lombok since January this year.

West Nusa Tenggara province, where West Lombok is located, has long struggled with the issue of child marriage. Though a firm hand from officials is certainly crucial, it should be noted that many child marriages in Indonesia are conducted in traditional ceremonies, locally known as nikah siri — a practice that recognizes unions according to religious customs.

According to Erny, the prevalence of child marriage in the region is caused by many factors, including unplanned, extramarital pregnancy, and inability among young people to continue their education, sometimes owing to financial constraints. 

Read Also — Underage students in East Lombok get married after prolonged online schooling: reports

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