KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 30 — Child marriages in Sarawak were mostly due to children falling victims to social ills, Women, Family and Community Development Deputy Minister Hannah Yeoh said today.

Following a working visit to study child marriages under Shariah law and traditional customs there, Yeoh said compulsory education for children beyond 12 would give them a chance to escape poverty and subsequently early marriages.

"I was informed that most of child marriages here involved children who were too far gone after they were ensnared by social ills.

"Therefore, the meeting today decided that awareness campaigns should focus on that aspects as well,” Yeoh said in a statement.

In the meeting, Yeoh said they have looked at and re-evaluated all the steps taken that could reduce the child marriage statistics, including encouraging children to return to school.

"This would enable us to handle the issue of children who stop studying at a young age, as well as poverty factors which contribute to the dropping out,” she said.

Last week, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Ser Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail said that working papers were being prepared to raise the minimum age for both Muslims and non-Muslims.

For customary marriages, she said the respective customary heads will be informed of the dangers of underage marriages to the health and safety of the child.