Marriage from the Perspective of Child Protection Law and Human Rights
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.63738/annujum.v2i1.25Keywords:
Child Marriage, Legal Protection, Human RightsAbstract
This study analyzes the effectiveness of legal protection for children against early marriage in Indonesia, examining the issue through the lenses of human rights and family law. Despite the 2019 amendment to the Marriage Law raising the minimum age to 19, child marriage remains prevalent due to significant regulatory disharmony and judicial loopholes. Employing a normative-juridical method supported by empirical socio-legal data, this research investigates the conflict between the Child Protection Law and other statutes regarding the age of majority. The findings demonstrate that the "marriage dispensation" mechanism, intended for emergencies, is systematically exploited to legitimize underage unions, often driven by unintended pregnancies and parental pressure. Consequently, the state inadvertently facilitates violations of children's rights to development and safety. The study concludes that legal reform alone is inadequate; eradicating child marriage requires a synchronized strategy involving stricter judicial audits on dispensation requests, harmonization of conflicting laws, and comprehensive community engagement to dismantle patriarchal norms. This research underscores the urgency of shifting from a purely regulatory approach to a holistic, victim-centered protection framework that prioritizes the child's best interests.
References
Ali, S., Wahyudi, S. T., Prasetyo, H., Bakhtiar, H. S., & Triadi, I. (2025). Forced marriage as a form of sexual violence against child victims of rape from a human rights perspective. International Journal of Sociology and Law, 2(2), 83–94. https://doi.org/10.62951/ijsl.v2i2.605
Arif, A. F. (2025). Assessing couples’ readiness and child’s best interests: A comparative analysis of Mojokerto Religious Court decisions on marriage dispensation. Al-Hukama’: The Indonesian Journal of Islamic Family Law, 15(1), 36–67. https://doi.org/10.15642/alhukama.2025.15.1.36-67
Chaturathorn, S., Anggaretno, S. W. N., Badrul, H., Woods, J., & Oliveira, A. (2025). The Justice Dilemma in Minor Marriages: Dispensation vs. Prevention. Unnes Law Journal, 11(2), 279–306. https://doi.org/10.15294/ulj.v11i2.3920
Dellyana, S. (1988). Wanita dan anak di mata hukum. Liberty.
Fauzi, F. (2022). Child marriage in Indonesia: Sexual violence or not? De Jure: Jurnal Hukum Dan Syar’iah, 14(2), 226–243. https://doi.org/10.18860/j-fsh.v14i2.17408
Gautama, C. (2000). Konvensi hak anak: Panduan bagi jurnalis. Lembaga Studi Pers dan Pembangunan (LSPP).
Gunawan, S. O. (2023). Impacts of early childhood marriage in Indonesia viewed from child protection laws perspectives. El-Usrah: Jurnal Hukum Keluarga, 6(2), 312–325. https://doi.org/10.22373/ujhk.v6i2.20262
Hulu, I. L., Harahap, S. K., & Ismayani, I. (2025). Legal protection for minors age of applicant marriage dispensation reviewed from Law Number 16 of 2019. Requisitoire: Jurnal Ilmiah Hukum, 1(1), 45–55. https://doi.org/10.59651/relae.v17i1.273
Jumrotunisak, J., Soeradji, E., & Hidayati, T. (2024). Judicial policy and societal implications: Marriage dispensation rejections in Pangkalan Bun’s Religious Court. Journal of Education and Religious Studies, 4(2), 163–175. https://doi.org/10.57060/jers-rasbpj83
Komisi Perlindungan Anak Indonesia. (2015). Data kasus perlindungan anak. http://www.kpai.go.id
Kusmayanti, H., Judiasih, S. D., Yuanitasari, D., & Rajamanicham, R. (2024). Protection of children’s rights: A review of child marriage policies in Indonesia, Malaysia, and India. SASI, 30(2), 234–248. https://doi.org/10.47268/sasi.v30i2.2044
Mochtar, S., & Huma, H. (2025). Reconstruction of adult age regulations for Indonesian-based population dignity justice. KnE Social Sciences, 11(1), 120–135. https://doi.org/10.18502/kss.v9i19.16503
Mufidah. (2006). Haruskah perempuan dan anak dikorbankan. Pilar Media.
Nakmofa, J. A., Adnyani, N. K. S., & Sanjaya, D. B. (2024). The impact of child marriage dispensation on the increasing divorce rate in Buleleng Regency. International Journal of Law, Tourism, and Culture, 2(3), 157–166.
Nur, A. A., Amanda, S., Hanifa, F. F., & Zulfa, Z. (2023). Determinants of child marriage in Indonesia: A systematic review. Journal of Community Medicine and Public Health Research, 4(2), 88–96. https://doi.org/10.20473/jcmphr.v4i2.45777
Ojo, S. (2024). Domestic abuse: Voice, exit, loyalty and entrepreneurship. International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business, 53(2), 163–185. https://doi.org/10.1504/IJESB.2024.140927
Ramadhani, E. P. (2020). Ratio Decidendi Putusan Mahkamah Konstitusi Nomor 30-74/Puu-Xii/2014 Dan Nomor 22/Puu- Xv/2017 Terhadap Pengujian Konstitusionalitas Pasal 7 Ayat (1) Undang-Undang Nomor 1 Tahun 1974 Tentang Perkawinan. Kementerian Pendidikan dan Kebudayaan Universitas Brawijaya Fakultas Hukum Malang.
Reganata, M. T. R., Japar, S. R., Kabir, M. F., Thalia, F. F. E., & Agustina, A. (2026). Perlindungan Hukum terhadap Anak dalam Perkara Dispensasi Kawin di Kabupaten Bojonegoro Tahun 2020-2025. AKADEMIK: Jurnal Mahasiswa Humanis, 6(1), 506–518. https://doi.org/10.37481/jmh.v6i1.1914
Sunarti, G. (2024). Implementasi Dispensasi Kawin Perspektif Maslahah Mursalah (Studi Kasus Pasca Undang-Undang Nomor.16 Tahun 2019 Di Kabupaten Lebong). UIN Fatmawati Sukarno Bengkulu.
Syarif, F. (2023). Child marriages and criminal law policy in Indonesia: Exploring legal reform possibilities. International Journal of Criminal Justice Science, 18(2), 140–155.
Widiyanto, A., Zumrotun, S., & Saputra, H. (2024). The Prevention of Underage Marriage in Indonesia: State, Religious Authority and Human Rights. Justicia Islamica, 21(2), 401–422. https://doi.org/10.21154/justicia.v21i2.9771
Zachary, R. I., & Nurhayani, N. (2025). Legal Analysis of Marriage Dispensation Requests for Minors in Cases of Premarital Pregnancy (Case Study: Decision No. 82/PDT.P/2024/PA.PROB). Journal of Law and Economics, 4(2), 134–144. https://doi.org/10.56347/jle.v4i2.329
