Indonesia: Marriage of Girls Who Are Minors Authorized by Law

The Constitutional Court of Indonesia legalized, under Islamic pressure, the marriage of girls who are minors, stating that girls of 16 years or less are “adults” and “ready for marriage”.

According to Catholic news agency Asia News, June 27, 2015, the Count gave in to pressure from the Indonesian council of ulemas, a ‘committee of observation of customs and morals,’ in the mainly Moslem archipelago.

Recent studies have shown, according to the agency, that in Indonesia, 20% of marriages involved persons aged between 13 and 15 years, and 39% involved girls between 15 and 17. A few years ago, a Moslem dignitary caused remark for this marriage with a little girl, barely 12 years old.