Aceh – Indonesia, Banda Aceh (Waspada Aceh) – The Peer Support for Women initiative, in collaboration with the Commission for the Disappeared and Victims of Violence (KontraS) Aceh, hosted an exhibition to spotlight the pressing issue of child marriage in Aceh. Throughout 2025, 1,026 child brides and grooms were recorded, including 92 children who married before turning 16.
Data from the Regional Office of the Ministry of Religious Affairs (Kanwil Kemenag) in Aceh reveals that these numbers comprise 476 females and 550 males. Of the 92 children who married under the age of 16, 85 were girls and seven were boys.
The exhibition, titled “End Child Marriage and Invest in Girls’ Rights!”, was organized to commemorate International Day of the Girl Child on Sunday (10/11/2026). The event provided a platform to raise awareness about child marriage while advocating for the fulfillment of girls’ rights.
Program Manager Mirisa Hasfaria stated that the commemoration of International Day of the Girl Child is expected to bolster efforts to eliminate the practice of child marriage.
“This annual celebration is hoped to serve as a significant breakthrough in our collective push to eradicate child marriage,” Mirisa said in a press release received by waspadaaceh.com on Friday (10/9/2026).
She explained that International Day of the Girl Child was established through United Nations (UN) General Assembly Resolution 66/170 in 2011. The observance aims to promote respect for girls’ rights and support their empowerment.
Meanwhile, KontraS Aceh Coordinator Azharul Husna stressed that ending child marriage demands shared commitment and multi-stakeholder engagement.
“The practice of child marriage must be stopped through collective action,” Azharul asserted.
He added that the defense of girls’ rights must be continuously pursued so they can pursue their education and live safely, even amidst humanitarian or environmental crises.
In the same press release, the organizers cited 2023 UNICEF data indicating that 25.53 million women in Indonesia were married as children. Additionally, the 2025 Indonesian Youth Statistics Survey recorded that approximately 19 percent of adolescents in Indonesia still experience child marriage.
Child marriage threatens to derail education, increase the risk of domestic violence, and cause severe health complications for both young mothers and their infants.
Beyond the exhibition, the event features an art discussion with alumni of the Peer Support for Women Batch I Joint Learning Series, including Cut Rayyan Khawari, Delfina Bunga Zalia, Haura Shafiyyah Ismail, Mutia Dinda, and Nasywa Firza Majidah.
Organizers have also scheduled film screenings and discussions throughout the exhibition. The series of events will conclude on October 25, 2026, with a Women’s Forum hosted by Mirisa Hasfaria. (*)