South Sudan joins calls for elimination of early marriages
June 14, 2013 (JUBA) – South Sudan joined African nations in celebrating the 23rd anniversary the day of African child on Friday under theme of “eliminating early marriage in South Sudan”.
Thousands of children marched from the Dr. John Garang mausoleum into the Nyakuron culture centre in South Sudan’s capital, Juba two days before the official day on June 16.
Child marriage has hampered girls education in South Sudan and, the authorities believe, has contributed to the high levels of illiteracy in the country. Representatives of the government took the opportunity to urge parents to give their daughters a chance to complete school.
Joy Gordon Soro, from South Sudan’s ministry of general education said there was need for compulsory education to stop young girls being forced into early marriage by their parents.
“We need to work together so that we can eliminate child marriages” she said referring incidents in Lakes state where girls have been beaten by their parents and one girl committed suicide after refusing to marry at a young age.
Soro urged parents to allow their daughters continue with their education as it would mean they would receive a higher bride price, which is often paid in livestock.
“If you leave the girl to continue their school, you will get a good number of cows or even do more money and the girl can help you in future. You try to educate your girls so that you will have a good future from them and then the girl must study very hard so that they can have good future for themselves to help themselves not always to ask from somebody else”, added Soro.
Priscilla Nyayang Joseph, South Sudan’s deputy minister for gender, child and social welfare told a gathering at Nyakuron cultural centre that the “government is there to ensure that to have better future, yes you might not see things changing fast, that they going to change for the better and we want you to help, we want you to have faith in us and we want you to have faith in God that God willing that your life will be better than what it is today.”
The United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF), says South Sudan’s social and economic situation made ending child marriage challenging, as many families rely on the dowries they receive.
According to the South Sudan’s health ministry over 600 girls have been forced to abandon their education due to early pregnancy.
A survey in 2010 indicated that around 40% of girls in South Sudan are married before the age of 18.
“Child marriage is still a big problem in South Sudan and it partly accounts for the high illiteracy rates in the country as only 6.2% of girls enrolled complete the full primary school cycle. It also accounts for the high maternal deaths in the country as girls’ bodies are not fully developed for motherhood,” said deputy minster Joseph.
UNICEF official, Fatuma Hamidali Ibrahim, said: “Child marriage is a violation of girls’ basic rights – to a childhood, to an education, to good health and to make decisions about her own life. It can lead to unwanted pregnancies and even death. The only way to end this harmful cultural and social practice is through collective efforts from everyone in the society right from the grass root level to the policy-makers level.”
A press release from UNICEF to mark the day of the Africa child added: “The South Sudan Child Act 2008 prohibits subjecting children to negative and harmful practices that affect their health, welfare and dignity. The Child Act also protects every female child from sexual abuse and exploitation and gender-based violence, including rape, incest, early and forced marriage, female circumcision and female genital mutilation. Child marriage results in early and unwanted pregnancies, posing life-threatening risks, sometimes even DEATH for girls.”
UNICEF argue that “Preventing child marriage will protect girls’ rights and help reduce their risks of violence, early pregnancy, HIV infection, maternal death and disability.”
If girls are able to stay in education and avoid early marriages “they can build a foundation for a better life for themselves and their families and participate in the progress of their nations” the UN children’s agency said.
(ST)