c. December 22-25, 1928 — Women’s Congress, Joyodipuran, Yogyakarta, Indonesia

Respected delegates,

The issue of child marriage is a most important matter for us Indonesians, because there is still so much child marriage in Indonesia.

I was very happy to read the book about child mrriage written by Dr Soetomo. In this book Dr Soetomo explains his views about child marriage and there he mentions that often members of Moehammadijah, PSI, and SI make speeches about or discuss child marriage. Dr Soetomo himself has also already made a speech on the matter at the Moehammadijah congress last year. Therefore it is obvious that those organisations are paying much attention to the issue of child marriage. Indeed sisters, it is an issue to which we must pay great attention.

If today I explain my opinion about child marriage, I am just repeating what is often said, because as I said before speeches have often been made on this issue. However, such speeches and discussions have not produced much result, and we have not yet tasted their sweet fruits, and because of that today I intend to invite you all as sisters to oppose child marriage together, because it threatens our welfare and security. I do not dare discuss the opinions of physicians or religious experts on child marriage, but what I offer this esteemed meeting is my own opinion.

Often with a heavy heart I see girl pupils aged just 11 or 12 years taken out of school because they are to be married. So with tears in her eyes, the child leaves the school building. There, over a number of years, the child has happily mixed with teachers and friends. Now that child is forced to marry a man whom she has never met before, probably a man who is much older or a boy who is still under-age. Neither of these situations is good. In the first case, where a girl who is under-age marries a man who is much older than herself, then the young girl cannot understand the thought processes of her husband who has already developed higher thinking skills. Because of this it is impossible that the couple, one of whom cannot understand the thinking of the other, can create a household or family that is happy and secure.

Because the girl is still young and ignorant, then the husband has the responsibilty to educate her. However sisters, will that education be complete?

“No” I answer because that man is rarely at home, because he must earn a livelihood. And even when he is in the house, can a man educate his wife in household matters or other responsibilities of wives?

Let’s take the second case. If the boy also is still under-age, he then lacks knowledge, but because he has taken a wife, it is his responsibility to guide his wife. Can he fulfill hes responsibilities, while he himself is still acquiring knowledge?

I answer “No” again.

What will happen to a child bride who is forced to become a housewife? How can she run a household and fulfill the responsibilities of a married woman, because she herself is still young and has not gained much knowledge?

Not long afterwards, that girl will become a mother. For the female species, to become a mother is one of Allah’s greatest blessings but, sisters, I have also often seen a child bride become a mother, and dislike her child because while she herself still wants to play, now she is forced to look after her child.

Even if that young mother wants to look after her child, do you think, sisters, that a mother who still has a child’s thoughts, which are not yet fully developed, can look after, educate and guide her child adequately? How can our nation develop and compare with other developed nations, if its children have not experienced proper education and guidance? Remember, sisters, that a country cannot develop if its inhabitants do not have good education and leadership.

In my opiinion, the best education is eduation which is begun before a baby is born, as was discuseed by RA Soekonto. Can an under-age mother fulfill this important and difficult responsibility?

Most people also say “Ah, that’s easy: every girl, even those who are still under-age, if she is forced to run a household or look after her child, certanly she can do so, because that has been her responsibilty and work”. It’s true, sisters, that certainly has been our work and responsibility, but how can we do our work or fulfill our responsibility properly if we do not yet have knowledge?

Give girls a complete education before they udnertake their life’s journey, because they are the proper educators of children.

The issue of child marriage is of the greatest importance and one to which we must pay a great deal of attention.

In addition to the lack of knowledge of under-age children in the matter of raising and educating children, should child marriage be recognised as legitimate marriage? A legitimate marriage is a marriage in which both parties agree. So it cannot be forced. In my opinion, a child under the age of 15 does not really understand what it means to be married and also cannot state whether or not she likes her prospective husband.

It is also a condition, as mentioned, that the two people who wish to marry must agree. This requirement is also made by the religious officer; that is, when he marries a couple, he asks both the bride and the groom whether they both want to marry.

Usually both the bride and the groom must also state that they consent, but in the majority of cases these words are said without meaning because they are uttered out of fear of their parents. Therefore, their statement of consent should not be believed, because the majoirty of children that are married off don’t understand anything. All of a sudden they are married off by their parents, therefore the bride and groom are merely tools in the hands of their parents.

I believe that I do not need to mention the negative effects of child marriage to our sisters who are already well-educated, because I believe that they already understand everything, and I also believe that they do not want to commit that evil.

However, sisters, there are those who do not yet comprehend the negative effects of child marriage, that is our sisters from the lower class who live in the kampungs. 

They are proud if their daughter who is still a child has been married, especially if the son-in-law is rich or of high rank; even if that son-in-law is already old, it is considered that fortunately he is still young. Therefore they disregard the well-being of their daughter and their future grandchildren.

Those who marry off their child just because they want the wealth or status of their son-in-law can be said to be selling their daughter.

I often see with my own eyes a girl child who is married off to a husband she does not like. She is then scolded and hit by her parents. Then does that not add to the suffering of the child-wife? If the mother is always unhappy, will it later be a good thing shen she becomes pregnant?

Sisters, lst us united agains this terrible traditional practice of our people.

Those of you sisters who are leaders who often mix with the common people, for example those of you whose husbands or parents are civil servants, nurses and techers, also relitious teachers, as well as school teachers — we can reach the people. Because of that, we can explain the negative effects of child marriage to our sitsers who do not yet understand the situation.

We must not just be silent. We who already understand the evil of child marriage, we have a responsibility to explain this evil as clearly as possible.

Before I close my speech, I wish to address the organising committee, because this matter was not included in the proposed resolutions. For that reason, I hope that in the closed session the matter of child marriage will be examined and discussed by the committee and delegates, because in my opinion child marriage is a very important problem and we must fight against it will all our strength. If the committee and the delgates discuss this issue and come to an agreement, I hope that the committee and the delgates will request religious councils in all regions to prohibit child marriage as quickly as possible.

In conclusion, I appeal to you all, let us as sisters work together to opose child marriage with all your strength and help our sisters who are still in darkness.

Let us bring them to a place of openness and safety.

It is now time that we who understand should walk ahead and light up the dark paths in order to improve and develop our nation.

Source: The First Indonesian Women’s Congress of 1928, trans. Susan Blackburn (Clayton, Australia: Monash University Press, 2008), pp. 69-72.