Research

Abstract: Child marriage remains a significant global issue, violating human rights and limiting development outcomes, particularly for girls. This study examines the impact of Indonesia’s first minimum marriage age (MMA) law, which in 1975 set the minimum age of marriage for girls at 16 years. The analysis relies on a regression discontinuity design to estimate the effects of the policy on child marriage and girls’ education, with specific adjustments to address non-random heaping in reported years of birth. Using data from the 2018–2021 Indonesia National Socio-economic Survey (SUSENAS), we find that the MMA law reduced marriages under the age of 16 by 18% and increased the age at first marriage by about five months. It also had a broader effect by delaying marriages beyond the legal threshold. The effects were stronger in regions with entrenched child-marriage norms and in urban settings. We also find evidence that the MMA policy had positive effects on educational attainment, particularly in obtaining a tertiary degree.

Abstract: Insufficient knowledge about reproductive health and contraceptives is a key factor that contributes to unmet needs for family planning and unintended pregnancies. This study examines the role of mobile technology in women's contraceptive knowledge and behaviour in Indonesia. Leveraging two waves of panel data from the Indonesia Family Life Survey (IFLS) and the Village Potential Statistics (PODES), we examine how increases in mobile phone signal strength within sub-districts influence women’s contraceptive knowledge and use. We find that an increase in subdistrict-level mobile phone signal strength is associated with a greater awareness of contraceptive knowledge among ever-married women, which is largely driven by an increase in awareness of contraceptive films. However, we find limited evidence that the increased signal strength was associated with changes in contraceptive use. The findings suggest that mobile phone infrastructure may play a role in increasing women’s awareness of contraceptives, but this increased awareness may not necessarily translate into use.

Abstract: Marriage payments are a common feature of marital arrangements worldwide, with those to the bride’s side being the most prevalent. However, their relationship with women’s post-marital well-being remains contested. Using data from the Indonesian Family Life Survey and ethnographic information on marriage customs, this study examines how marriage payments relate to women’s wellbeing and explores variation across ethnic groups with differing bride price traditions. The findings show that payments directed to the bride, often shaped by religious practice, are associated with lower levels of husbands’ dominance in household decision-making. In contrast, payments rooted in bride price traditions, which are typically directed to bride's parents, show no clear relationship with women’s wellbeing. Further analyses reveal that collective norms largely shape variation in outcomes among bride-price-practising groups, whereas individual-level factors play a more substantial role in groups without such traditions.