Early Marriage Comes at a Price

Early marriage is definitely not a way out of social and economic problems. On the contrary, it often triggers a source of new problems, not only for the couple but also their children.

KOMPAS/AHMAD ARIF

A pair of teenagers, a 17-year-old boy and a 15-year-old girl, got married in Kalumpang Village, Mantangai District, Kapuas Regency, Central Kalimantan, on Tuesday (19/7/2022).

As their livelihood is dwindling due to being deprived of farming land, the people of Dayak Ngaju in Central Kalimantan are beginning to grapple with poverty. Children are prone to dropping out of school. Early marriage is seen as a solution, while in fact, it turns out to be exacerbating socioeconomic conditions.