Fighting the Dangers of Child Marriage with the Keluarga Bakoh Initiative

According to the latest 2023 data from the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), Indonesia ranks fourth globally in child marriage cases, with 25.53 million cases recorded. Although there has been a downward trend over the past three years, the number of early marriages in Indonesia remains significantly high.

Taking into account the multisectoral impacts of child marriage, five lecturers from Universitas Muhammadiyah Surakarta (UMS), representing five different faculties, collaborated to educate adolescents in Colomadu District, Karanganyar, specifically at Puskesmas Colomadu II on Saturday (19/10/2024). 

The lecturers involved were Prilya Shanty Andrianie, M.Psi., Psychologist (Faculty of Psychology), Dr. Restu Triwulandani Tolibin, Sp.A. (Faculty of Medicine), Wahdan Najib Habiby, S.Th.I., M.Pd. (Faculty of Teacher Training and Education), Nurul Latifatul Inayati, S.Pd.I., M.Pd.I. (Faculty of Islamic Studies), and Sheena Ramadhia Asmara Dhani, S.K.M., M.KKK. (Faculty of Health Sciences).

Each speaker delivered a session aimed at strengthening family resilience through the BAKOH Family Program (Happy, Resilient, and Healthy), targeting dozens of youth health cadres at Puskesmas Colomadu II in Karanganyar. The community program is scheduled to run for three months, from October to December 2024. 

UMS P2AD team with Colomadu 2 Health Center team and youth cadres

Through this initiative, the youth health cadres are expected to gain essential knowledge and awareness, particularly regarding the vulnerabilities associated with early marriage. These cadres will later serve as peer educators, helping their communities, especially fellow teenagers, make informed decisions when considering marriage in the future.

“Family is one of the most fundamental aspects and pillars in shaping strong individuals and communities. With proper family education, individuals can grow to be devout, ethical, and contribute positively to society,” said Prilya, a lecturer from UMS’ Faculty of Psychology.

However, with changing times and the widening scope of social interactions among youth, various challenges have emerged, one of which is the rise of unhealthy social behavior. Such behavior can lead teenagers into risky situations, including romantic relationships that may result in unplanned pregnancies and early marriage.

“A 2019 BKKBN survey showed that many adolescents began engaging in sexual activity as early as junior high school,” Prilya added.

The Indonesian National Commission on Violence Against Women, Prilya continued, has identified six major risks associated with early marriage that could jeopardize the future of Indonesia’s human resources. These include limited access to education, economic hardship, poor maternal and child health, inadequate parenting, and increased risks of maternal and infant mortality.

"That’s why this training was designed to equip participants with materials to build a BAKOH Family, delivered through four key perspectives: psychology, health, religion, and education," she explained.

According to Prilya, the BAKOH Family program consists of several sessions integrating psychoeducation with training across the aforementioned perspectives. The curriculum includes:

The form of the program that will be provided contains material, which includes: Pre-marital Psychoeducation for Youth Cadres; Adolescent Reproductive and Mental Health Training for Youth Cadres; and Psychoeducation to Build Family Resilience: Religious, Health, Psychological, and Educational Perspectives.

"Our target is the youth health cadres from five villages under the guidance of Puskesmas Colomadu II: Baturan, Klodran, Tohudan, Blulukan, and Gedongan," said Prilya.

The training was attended by 50 youth cadres representing 29 posyandu (community health posts) across the five villages. Participants showed high enthusiasm and engagement throughout the program.

Source: UMS Psychology