Religious Heads' Perspectives towards the Abolition of Child Marriage: A Study in Malang, East Java']Java, Indonesia

The move to abolish child marriages in Indonesia has met with obstacles from religious leaders. This is probably due to the limited research involving religious heads' perspectives towards the abolition of child marriages. This article will explore the perspectives of Religious Affairs (KUA) Heads in Malang City. These officials are in charge of overseeing issues with regards marriage within the Muslim community. The design of this study was a qualitative case study and data sources were obtained from KUA Heads in Malang City. Semi-structured interview instruments were used, and data analysis was done through thematic analysis. The results of the study revealed that all the respondents agreed to the abolishment of child marriages, as well as in agreeing to propose the revision of the marriage law (No.1 of 1974), which would be by raising the age limit of marriage of girls from 16 years to 18 years. However, dispensation for marriage would be provided for those aged less than 18 years in some special conditions. It was also found that for this revision to take place, abolition of child marriage must be entirely supported by parents, teachers, religious and community leaders.