Do more to protect children

I READ with concern the statement by Deputy Prime Minister and Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail that seven states in Malaysia have refused to amend state enactments that would raise the minimum age of marriage to 18 years for Muslim girls.

It is hoped that the government’s efforts to address the issue of child marriage holistically will soon bear fruit. As has been stated by child rights coalition Girls Not Brides, “Child brides are neither physically nor emotionally ready to become wives and mothers. They face more risks of experiencing dangerous complications in pregnancy and childbirth, contracting HIV/AIDS and suffering domestic violence. With little access to education and economic opportunities, they and their families are more likely to live in poverty.”