The role of the Office of Religious Affairs in the Dau Subdistrict to minimize cases ofunderage marriage during and after the pandemic

Abstract

One of the big maritial problems that still exist, especially after the pandemic, is underage marriage.This issue is clearly related to The Office of Religious Affairs. The method of this research is empirical research with qualitative approaches, which means taking the data directly from the field then analyzing them. This research produces some factors behind underage marriage at the Dau Subdistrict Religious Office at Malang Regency during and after the pandemic (2020–2022)such as socio-cultural in the form of strict habits and mindsets of the community, the factor of religious issues with parents’ concerns about the behavior of their children’s relationships, social freedom factors that can lead to pregnancy outside of marriage, economic factors that make the son in law a co-worker as a farmer, and also a flaw of education. All of these factors are the background for legalizing underage marriage with marriage dispensation requests. First, the role from Head of the Religious Service through counseling and socialization, restricting marriage registration and twining sectoral cooperation. Second,the role of religious instructors is by leading society forums and giving some advice to the bride and groom. Third, the role of the village apparatus by educating society with counseling and advising on the postponement of underage marriages. This research gives the message that counseling and mentoring activities to the community need to continue to be carried out with models and concepts that are more modern, and by the existing conditions in society.