Regulatory Reform of Child Marriage Dispensation in Indonesia: Advancing a Women's Protection Framework

Authors

  • Nur Fadilah

    Universitas Islam Negeri Sunan Gunung Djati, Bandung, Indonesia

    Author

  • Hana Maulida

    Universitas Islam Indonesia, Yogyakarta, Indonesia

    Author

  • Ibrahim Touré

    University of Freiburg, Breisgau, Germany

    Author

  • Khadija Diallo

    University of Canberra, Canberra, Australia

    Author

DOI:
https://doi.org/10.65586/ingefal.v1i2.20
Keywords:
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Abstract

This study examines the normative contradictions embedded in the regulation of child marriage dispensation in Indonesia and develops a regulatory reform model grounded in the protection of women's rights. Employing a normative juridical methodology, the research adopts qualitative content analysis, legal reasoning, and comparative legal analysis to identify normative inconsistencies and formulate a more responsive legal framework for safeguarding women and girls. The findings reveal that the child marriage dispensation mechanism constitutes a form of regulatory contradiction, as it preserves a legal exception that undermines the effectiveness of the broader legal framework designed to prevent child marriage and protect women from structural vulnerabilities. The study further demonstrates that the judicial role in dispensation proceedings has evolved beyond that of a conventional interpreter of law to that of a social risk assessor, requiring judges to evaluate not only statutory requirements but also the risks associated with reproductive health, educational discontinuity, poverty, gender-based violence, psychological maturity, and social preparedness. Building upon these findings, the study proposes the Gender-Responsive Justice Regulatory Model (GRJRM). This novel conceptual framework integrates feminist legal theory, substantive gender justice, substantive equality, and risk governance into the regulation of child marriage dispensation. The model repositions women's lived experiences and gender-specific vulnerabilities as the central normative foundation of regulatory decision-making through multidisciplinary assessment, risk-based evidentiary standards, and strengthened safeguards for women's rights throughout the adjudicative process. By shifting the focus of regulatory reform from procedural compliance to substantive protection, the proposed framework advances comparative family law scholarship. It offers a constitutionally and human rights-oriented paradigm for reforming the dispensation of child marriage in Indonesia.

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2026-05-01
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Vol. 1 No. 2 (2026): May
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Regulatory Reform of Child Marriage Dispensation in Indonesia: Advancing a Women’s Protection Framework. (2026). Indonesian Journal of Gender Justice and Family Law, 1(2), 149-170. https://doi.org/10.65586/ingefal.v1i2.20