This essay focuses on the strategies developed against the practice of underage or child marriage by the Indonesian non-governmental organization Rumah Kitab (Rumah Kita Bersama). This practice
touches on several of the main priorities of the Muslim feminist agenda as it includes the issues of secret marriage and polygamy. Furthermore, in Indonesia and many Muslim majority countries it is a brazen infraction of state marriage laws that impose a minimum age for women and men. Underage marriage is a form of violence against women, it threatens a girl’s (reproductive) health, and is often performed in secret as by necessity it remains unregistered. In many instances the child bride enters a polygamous union.
In this article, I focus on some of the strategies developed by Komnas Perempuan to address the plight of these 1965–1966 victims.