Child Marriage Acceptability Index (CMAI) as an essential indicator: an investigation in South and Central Sulawesi, Indonesia.

BACKGROUND: Child marriage remains an important social issue in Indonesia. Child marriages were reported from 14.67% in 2008 to 10.82% in 2019. However, 22 out of 34 provinces in Indonesia still had high child marriage rates above the national average in 2019. This study aims to assess child marriage acceptability in the two locations in Indonesia by gender inequality, financial security, education rates, legal frameworks, dowry, and sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV). METHODS: This study used a quantitative approach with a cross-sectional study design. A total of 1000 respondents consisting of 500 households in Bone District, South Sulawesi and 500 households in Palu, Sigi, and Donggala District in Central Sulawesi participated in the study. Data analyses were conducted based on the Child Marriage Acceptability Index (CMAI) using the bivariate correlation, ANOVA (analysis of variance), and logistic regression. RESULTS: This study found several significant factors that contributed to child marriage acceptance in Central and South Sulawesi: household financial security (p = 0.016), dowry (p < 0.001) and legal frameworks (p = 0.017) based on ANOVA analysis. After conducting a bivariate correlation, dowry (p < 0.001) and sexual and gender-based violence (p < 0.001) remain significant factors. Dowry (p < 0.001), with expected B = 0.122, and sexual and gender-based violence (p < 0.001, with expected B = 0.064) remains significant after the linear regression analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Dowry practice and sexual and gender-based violence were the most significant factors contributing to child marriage acceptance in Central and South Sulawesi. There is a need to conduct interventions to prevent child marriage, including providing sexual and reproductive health education.

One household, two worlds: Differences of perception towards child marriage among adolescent children and adults in Indonesia.

BACKGROUND: Indonesia is eighth in the world in the incidence of child marriage, with South Sulawesi province having one of the highest burdens (12.1%) in the country. The study explored the determinants of child marriage in Bone, South Sulawesi, in particular the differences between adolescents and parents. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study using a quantitative survey. A total of 1,004 respondents participated (500 parents and 504 adolescents aged 13-15 years). FINDINGS: This study found that around one out of four parents or adolescents had perceptions that support determinants of child marriage.  A total of 25.8% of parents and 26.0% of adolescents agreed that a girl is ready for marriage once she starts menstruation. 25.6% of parents and 32.6% of adolescents agreed that girls aged over 18 who are not married are a burden to their families. Using the U-Mann Whitney , Kendall's tau-b, and Pearson's correlation test, these differences were found to be significant. INTERPRETATION: Overall, the perceptions of parents and their adolescent children do not greatly differ, with some notable exceptions. Positive perceptions towards the benefits of child marriage are still prevalent among both parents and adolescents. This indicates that social norms supporting child marriage are still strong among these groups. Comprehensive interventions are needed to promote the benefits of marrying later, based on local cultural contexts and evidence on efficacy.