Petition to end child marriage

Kuala Lumpur: About 40 girls and leaders from the Girl Guides Association Malaysia (GGAM) together with various NGOs handed over a petition containing more than 156,000 signatures calling for an end to child marriage to Deputy Minister of Women, Family and Community Development, Hannah Yeoh in Parliament, here, Wednesday.The issue of child marriage came under the spotlight in July, following reports that a 41-year-old man had taken an 11-year-old girl as his third wife.

Girl Guides Association Malaysia representing 250,000 members urged the government to end child marriage in the country.

"Child marriage is harmful to all girls. This is wrong and must stop.

"Our girls should be in school and not taking role as a wife or mother when they are not physically and mentally ready.

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"We believe that through education, we can eradicate child marriages completely. Girl Guides Association Malaysia certainly will make an impact," said Dato Jeyadhevi, Chief Commissioner of GGAM.

Besides hand over the petition, Girl Guides members also handed over the #NoBridesUnder18 or #HentikanPerkahwinanBawah18 posters to ministers attending Parliament sitting to remind them what our girls want for themselves.

"I believe child marriage must end because every child should be entitled to education and they should have the freedom to do things that only a child can do," said 16 year-old Girl Guide, Leona Azhar.

"Child marriage isn't a personal matter between those engaging in it.

"It's a form of child abuse and it is our duty to protect the children from it," said 18-year-old Ranger, Kellysya Shah.

Kellysya was one of the delegates of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS) to the United Nations General Assembly in New York last September, advocating for issues related to girls and young women.

Several other government representatives were present to receive the petition, including Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Fuziah Salleh, Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister's Department Hanipa Maidin, Deputy Education Minister Teo Nie Ching, Petaling Jaya MP Maria Chin Abdullah and Lembah Pantai MP Fahmi Fadzil.

Yeoh expressed her appreciation at the public support to push for an end to child marriage in Malaysia.

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She said the government would continue to fight for an end to child marriage.

"The government hears you. Even if you only have 10 signatures, we will still do what needs to be done. We also want to end child marriage," Yeoh added.

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