Using Communication Competence for Preventing Child Marriage of Child’s Community in West Java Indonesia

Abstract

This article explores the communication competencies of Adolescent activists in fighting child marriage in West Java. The condition of the Covid 19 pandemic has increased child marriage rates in  West Java. Online schools and higher use of digital media are the reasons for the increase in child marriage in West Java. This research a employed qualitative method with a phenomenological approach. The condition of the Covid-19 Pandemic has demanded Adolescent activists to improve their competence; thus, their message of child protection is received properly. The components of communication competence investigated in this study were motivation, knowledge, and expertise of Adolescent activists who were members of the Regional Child Action Network and Forum to continuously prevent child marriage. The results showed that the development of Adolescent activists‟ communication competencies considered the digital management of communication competencies because delivering messages face-to-face was restricted. The ability to manage digital platforms generated positive motivation; thus it fostered confidence. The ability to recognize a procedure for choosing the right digital media facilitated adolescent activists to deliver messages to peers, parents, and the government while keeping a distance. Applying motivation and knowledge fostered Adolescent activists‟ new skills to adapt to new habits and productively prevent child marriage in West Java, Indonesia.