At Women’s Day march in KL, youths urge child marriage ban now, highlight climate crisis
Sunday, 08 Mar 2020 03:45 PM MYTDemonstrators take part in Women's March Malaysia 2020, in conjunction with International Women's Day in Kuala Lumpur March 8, 2020. ― Picture by Miera Zulyana
Child activist Hartini Zainudin spoke about the years and years of struggle on the issue of child marriages, calling for immediate action to end marriages involving children to enable them to study instead. “No five-year plans. Ban child marriage now,” she said in a speech shortly before noon to an estimated crowd of 300 to 400 participants.Demonstrators take part in Women's March Malaysia 2020, in conjunction with International Women's Day in Kuala Lumpur March 8, 2020. ― Picture by Miera Zulyana
When asked by this 23-year-old activist on how many knew someone who had married as a child below the age of 18, a startling number of around 30 to 50 of the youths present raised their hands — indicating how common the problem was. Many of these had also shot their hands up to show that they were first-timers at the rally.
Last November, then deputy prime minister and women, family and community development minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail said in Parliament that only Selangor has amended its state laws on the minimum age for child marriage, with the Federal Territories in the process of making such amendments and with only the five states of Penang, Sabah, Johor, Melaka and Perak named as having agreed to amend their laws to stop child marriages.
The messages included “End rape culture”, ”End violence against women”, “Rape is the rapist’s fault”, “The way we dress doesn’t mean yes”, “End victim blaming”, “Police your behaviour. Not our bodies” and “Marriage is not a transaction for your sexual pleasure”.
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