Rights group flags loss of detailed data on child marriages

PETALING JAYA: A rights group has raised concerns over the statistics department’s move away from publishing more granular age data on marriages involving minors, saying the new approach makes it more challenging to assess the true scale of child marriages in the country.

SIS Forum (Malaysia) executive director Rozana Isa said the new age ranges in official statistics — which now group marriages involving minors under a broader “below 20 years old” category — make it harder to track trends and design targeted solutions.

She questioned why more detailed figures were not being released, noting that the department possesses extensive demographic data and can break down statistics, including on marriage, by district, gender and religion.

“Right now, the only way for us to draw attention to this issue is to raise questions in Parliament.

“Why make us work for that data? Make that data available and accessible,” she told FMT after the launch of SIS Forum’s report containing findings documented over the past decade by its legal clinic, Telenisa.

Rozana said that without detailed geographical data, policymakers and civil society groups are left with fewer tools to identify hotspots and implement appropriate interventions.

Data gaps and child protection

According to the report, the statistics department’s figures only reflect registered marriages and are subject to various limitations, including small sample sizes.

Rozana stressed that data plays an important role in informing policy reforms and advocacy efforts aimed at ending child marriage.

“As it is, the issue of child marriage is something that needs to be a continued conversation. Child marriage should not be a solution for whatever situation a girl is in,” she said.

She highlighted its long-term consequences on girls, including interrupted education, reduced opportunities to acquire skills, a lack of financial independence, and increased health risks.

“A child is still a child. If she is vulnerable in terms of getting pregnant early, then this is a situation that is not good for her health in the long run,” she said.

Beyond child marriage

Seputeh MP Teresa Kok, who attended the launch, pointed to the lack of analysis of data collected by the statistics department, saying it fails to reflect the experiences of vulnerable groups.

According to Kok, such data helps policymakers better understand recurring challenges faced by women and vulnerable groups, enabling more responsive laws and support services.

FMT has reached out to the statistics department for comment.