Need to step up program to discourage child marriages – Azizah

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KOTA KINABALU: Child marriage is quite common in interior Sabah and there is a need for prevention programmes to be stepped up even though such incidents are still under control in the state, according to Deputy Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Azizah Mohd Dun.

“The state government has conducted a number of programmes to raise awareness on child marriages in Sabah for the past many years, but I will talk to the ministry and other agencies to have more prevention programmes, especially in the interior such as Kota Marudu and Pensiangan, where this incidents are often happening,” she told reporters when commenting on the child marriage in Sabah between a 13-year-old girl and a 40-year-old man who allegedly raped her.

“We will also look at various factors such as the economy and also their culture as many parents in the interior prefer to let their young girls marry because they cannot afford to give them proper education,” she said.

“Getting married at a young age is also quite normal in the interior because most of the women there get married at a very young age. However, this kind of culture should be reviewed to avoid any problem to the women in the future,” she said.

Azizah said most parents are aware that education is important for their children regardless of their gender but such incident is still happening because of their culture of getting married at a young age.

She admitted that the ministry would have problems in conducting their programmes if the people in the interior are still holding tight to their culture, but she is optimistic that any programmes which are good to the community will be accepted even though it will take more time.

“We will also look at other factors, such as the economy, where we can empower them. If we can assist these people to improve their income, I think we can see the number of child marriages decreasing.

“Since child marriages are still under control, I believe we can minimize the incidents, especially when we are approaching a developed nation status in seven years’ time,” she added.

Azizah who is also Beaufort member of parliament said even though the people in the interior might have problems accepting child marriage prevention programmes, it all would depend on how the government would approach their awareness programmes.