Efforts to reduce child marriage continue to gain momentum across Indonesia. Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta (UNY) has joined this movement by collaborating with the East Lombok Office for Women's Empowerment, Child Protection, and Family Planning (P3AKB) to organize the 2026 PEKA (Peer Educator for Child Marriage Prevention) Training Program. Held in East Lombok Regency, West Nusa Tenggara, the program aims to prepare young people to become peer educators and future advocates for child marriage prevention.

The training brought together 30 students representing 15 senior high schools, vocational schools, and Islamic senior high schools across East Lombok Regency. Conducted over two full days on 15–16 July 2026, the program took place at the Main Meeting Hall (Rupatama 2), Second Floor of the East Lombok Regent's Office. The training sessions were facilitated by academics from the Faculty of Psychology, Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta, including Dr. Siti Rohmah Nurhayati, S.Psi., M.Si., Karsiyati, S.Psi., M.Psi.T., Nesya Adira, S.Psi., M.Si., and Dr. Annisa Reginasari, M.A. The team also collaborated with Hadi Masyhurrosyidi, S.Kep., Ns., M.Kes. as the program partner. Their expertise and interactive teaching approach created an engaging learning environment that encouraged active discussions and meaningful knowledge exchange among participants.

The PEKA program adopts a peer education approach based on the understanding that adolescents are often more comfortable discussing personal issues and seeking support from friends of the same age. This highlights the significant role of peer groups as an essential support system during adolescence. Throughout the training, participants received comprehensive sessions on the consequences of child marriage, gender rights, future orientation, and creative strategies for delivering awareness campaigns through digital media, enabling them to educate and influence their peers effectively.

Through this collaboration between the Faculty of Psychology at UNY and the East Lombok Regency Government, the program is expected to produce young leaders who are ready to serve as peer educators and catalysts for positive social change. By empowering adolescents to educate one another, the initiative seeks to strengthen child marriage prevention efforts while encouraging young people to pursue higher education, build meaningful life plans, and achieve their aspirations.

This initiative also contributes to the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being) by promoting adolescents' physical and mental well-being, SDG 4 (Quality Education) through peer-based learning and life skills development, SDG 5 (Gender Equality) by supporting the prevention of child marriage and advancing gender rights, and SDG 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions) by strengthening collaboration between higher education institutions and local governments to foster inclusive, supportive, and protective environments for young people.