MAMPU Partners meet with President Joko Widodo to discuss Child Marriage and Violence against Women

On 21 April 2018, coinciding with the commemoration of Indonesian Women’s Day (Kartini Day), delegates from 18 civil society organizations, including six MAMPU partners—represented by Zumrotin from Women’s Health Foundation and Misiyah from KAPAL Perempuan, along with other representatives from  Indonesian Women’s Coalition for Justice and Democracy (KPI), PEKKA, BaKTI and Migrant CARE—were invited to meet President Joko Widodo (‘Jokowi’) at the Presidential Palace in Bogor.

MAMPU Partners asked the President to issue a Perppu (Regulation in Lieu of Law) on Child Marriage to raise the minimum age of marriage for girls from 16 to 18 years of age. The Minister for Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection (KPPPA), Yohana Yembise, who also attended the meeting, said that the regulation is important for addressing the high level of child marriage and poverty in Indonesia, where between 25 and 40 percent couples get married before the age of 18.

MAMPU’s Partners conveyed to President Joko Widowo that raising the age of marriage is critical to realizing the government’s 12-year compulsory education program, reducing maternal and newborn mortality, preventing human trafficking, reducing violence against women, increasing women’s employment, and contributing to Indonesia’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)—Goal 1: No Poverty, Goal 2: Zero Hunger, Goal 3: Good Health and Well-Being, Goal 4: Quality Education, Goal 5: Gender Equality, and Goal 10: Reduced Inequalities.

Partners also expressed their desire for the acceleration of discussions in parliament on the Draft Bill on the Elimination of Sexual Violence (RUU PK-S).