Malaysia

Girls below 18 in Sarawak should be banned from getting married, says women's society

In 2023, there were reported cases of 2,026 teen girls who got pregnant in Sarawak.

Updated 1 year ago · Published on 20 Sep 2024 7:57AM

Girls below 18 in Sarawak should be banned from getting married, says women's society
The society had officially proposed that marriages below the age of 18 be banned. - September 20, 2024

by Stephen Then

THE Sarawak Women for Women Society has urged the state government to implement laws to deter young girls from getting married to reduce the high number of cases of teenage pregnancies.

Sarawak Minister for Women, Community Development and Early Childhood Datuk Seri Fatimah Abdullah said the society had met her and officially proposed banning marriages between people under the age of 18.

"The society wants to see traditional marriages of girls below age 18 disallowed.

"It wants the legal age for traditional marriages to be increased to 18 years as is the case with civil marriages as it is concerned with the high number of pregnancies involving young teens.

"We in the ministry will look into this seriously.

Fatimah said the ministry is also c