“SING BELING SING NGANTEN” “KEGAGALAN KEBIJAKAN PERLINDUNGAN ANAK TERHADAP KASUS PERNIKAHAN ANAK USIA DINI DI KABUPATEN JEMBRANA TAHUN 2022”

Abstract

The phenomenon of Sing Beling Sing Nganten contributes to the high rate of child marriage in Jembrana Regency, despite the implementation of regulations. This tradition emphasizes that children who do not experience pregnancy before marriage are not required to marry. However, in practice, this phenomenon actually encourages child marriage as a solution to out-of-wedlock pregnancies. This study aims to understand community behavior in practicing Sing Beling Sing Nganten and to assess the effectiveness of child protection policies in addressing early marriage. This research employs Richard Matland's policy implementation theory in Kadji, which highlights the relationship between policy clarity and the level of support in its implementation. Additionally, this study refers to Pierre Bourdieu's theory of cultural practice, which emphasizes how habitus, capital, and social fields shape individual and group behavior. This perspective helps in understanding how traditions and the social structure of Balinese society contribute to the persistence of this phenomenon. The research method used is descriptive qualitative with a data triangulation approach through in-depth interviews with local government officials, traditional leaders, and individuals who married at an early age. This triangulation aims to obtain a more comprehensive understanding of the factors influencing child marriage and the challenges in implementing child protection policies in Jembrana Regency. The findings show that the people of Jembrana Regency prioritize the honor of tradition over other considerations. Social values that emphasize the importance of lineage and family honor contribute to the practice of child marriage as a solution to out-of-wedlock pregnancies. The existing child protection policies remain preventive in nature and face challenges in implementation, such as budget constraints and low public awareness of these policies. Therefore, collaboration between the government, society, and traditional institutions is essential for child supervision and aligning customary values with prevailing norms so that policies can be more inclusive and not only focus on prevention but also on handling and rehabilitating cases of early child marriage. Keywords: Sing Beling Sing Nganten, child marriage, child protection policies, customary law, Jembrana Regency.