Lakpesdam Indramayu and Related Agencies Agree on the Need for a Regional Regulation on Child Marriage Prevention
Indramayu-Jayanews.com – The Institute for the Study and Development of Human Resources (Lakpesdam) of the Indramayu Branch of Nahdlatul Ulama (NU), through its Inclusion Program, held a Regency Stakeholder Meeting themed “Promoting Regional Regulations on the Prevention and Handling of Child Marriage in Indramayu Regency” at the STIDKI NU Hall of the Indramayu Branch of the Indramayu Branch on Wednesday (June 17, 2026).
The event featured speakers including H. Edi Fauzi, S.IP, a member of Commission II of the Indramayu Regency DPRD, and H. Supendi Samian, SE, MM, an academic and Chair of STIDKI NU Indramayu. Representatives from various related agencies and institutions were also present, including the DP2KB-P3A (Regional Development Planning Agency), the Social Service, the Health Service, the Education Service, the Regional Development Planning Agency (Bapperida), the Ministry of Religious Affairs, the Religious Court, the District Court, the Manpower Service, and several other organizations and institutions.
The Head of Lakpesdam PCNU Indramayu, Ali Ma’nawi, stated that the issue of child marriage in Indramayu Regency remains a serious challenge that requires the attention and collaboration of all parties.
According to him, based on data from the Indramayu Religious Court (PA), the number of marriage dispensations, or child marriages, has shown a downward trend. In 2022, there were 572 cases recorded, then dropped to 524 cases in 2023, then dropped again to 343 cases in 2024, and by July 2025, there were 202 cases.
“However, this figure does not include child marriages conducted under the law, or nikah sirri (unclear marriages), the exact number of which is difficult to determine. The number could be higher than the marriage dispensation cases recorded in the Religious Court,” said Almak, as he is familiarly known.
He explained that several factors contribute to child marriage, including dating, unwanted pregnancies, risky relationships, and a lack of family understanding of the impact of child marriage.
Almak added that, based on data collected by the Indramayu Inclusion Program Team last year in four assisted villages, at least 11 cases of child marriage were found in the community.
“When their request for a marriage dispensation is denied by the court, some people choose to pursue alternative routes through informal marriages, either unregistered or contractual marriages. This phenomenon certainly requires serious attention because it impacts the protection of children’s rights,” he said.
According to Ali, child marriage is a multidimensional issue that has very complex impacts on children’s lives, ranging from reproductive health and educational disruptions to increased risk of intergenerational poverty.
“Child marriage not only impacts the readiness of children’s reproductive organs, but also threatens the continuity of their education and contributes to increasing poverty rates in the community,” he explained.
Therefore, Lakpesdam PCNU Indramayu, through its Inclusion Program, encourages dialogue and synergy among stakeholders to formulate strategic steps to prevent and address child marriage in Indramayu Regency.
Furthermore, his office is also initiating the development of more specific regulations as a legal umbrella for the protection of children and families, particularly for children involved in child marriage.
Ali believes that although Indramayu Regency already has Regional Regulation Number 6 of 2019 concerning the Implementation of Child-Friendly Districts, which was later issued through Regent Regulation Number 52 of 2022 concerning Guidelines for the Implementation of Child-Friendly Districts, this policy does not yet provide detailed provisions for the prevention and management of child marriage.
“We believe that more specific regulations are necessary so that efforts to prevent and manage child marriage have a strong legal basis, while also clarifying the roles and responsibilities of each party,” he emphasized.
The forum also highlighted the importance of strengthening the women’s and children’s protection service system down to the sub-district level. Based on discussions in the Indramayu Regional People’s Representative Council (DPRD) throughout 2026, the Indramayu Regency Government was recommended to immediately establish Technical Implementation Units for the Protection of Women and Children (UPT PPA) in all sub-districts.
This recommendation is considered urgent given the regulatory mandate stipulated in Presidential Regulation Number 55 of 2024 concerning Regional Technical Implementation Units for the Protection of Women and Children.
Meanwhile, H. Edi Fauzi, S.IP, a member of Commission II of the Indramayu Regency DPRD, welcomed the initiative taken by Lakpesdam PCNU Indramayu through the Inclusion Program. He stated that the problem of child marriage cannot be resolved by one institution alone but requires cross-sector collaboration and comprehensive policy support.
“This is certainly a serious issue. If initiatives through the executive branch are difficult, then initiatives through the DPRD can be implemented,” Edi emphasized.
Echoing this sentiment, H. Supendi Samian,Chairman of STIDKI NU, echoed this sentiment emphasized that efforts to prevent child marriage must be built through an educational approach, strengthening families, and increasing public awareness of children’s rights and the importance of education.
“The regional government must truly prepare for this demographic bonus, especially in preparing a quality future generation, one of which must be able to prevent and address child marriage in the region,” he explained.
Through this stakeholder meeting, it is hoped that joint recommendations will emerge that can serve as a basis for formulating regional policies to strengthen child protection and reduce the number of child marriages in Indramayu Regency.**
Wari
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