EARLY MARRIAGE IN
ETHIOPIA
Mahdere Paulos
Executive Directress:
Ethiopian Women Lawyers
Association
www.etwla.org July 2006
Overview
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EWLA
Context and Legislative responses in
Ethiopia
What has been done to end early
marriage
Strategies
What remains to be done
Ethiopian Women’s Lawyers
Association
Objective
 The elimination of all forms of
legal and traditionally sanctioned
discrimination against women.
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The ensuring of equal treatment of
women with men in education,
employment ,access to public
services and benefits.
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The advocacy of remedial and
affirmative measures for women to
redress accumulated consequences
of discrimination
Programs
Legal Aid
Public Education
Research and Advocacy
Prevalence of Child Marriage
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Practiced among peasant communities of
Christian dominated and crop producing
highlands of Central and Northern Ethiopia
with the national prevalence of 54.6%.
Several ethnic groups in the South and
South West of Ethiopia have such practice
with occurrence between 50-80%.
Types of early marriages
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Promissory marriage
Arranged before the birth of the child.
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Child marriage
Arranged for girls under 10 years of age
and the bride is placed under the custody
of in-laws until she reaches puberty age.
Types of marriage cont’d
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Early adolescent marriage
Arranged for girls between ages of 10-14.
The married child may stay with parents
but periodically visits her parents-in-law
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Late Adolescent marriage
When the bride is 15 –18 years old
Reasons for practicing Early
Marriage
Material Benefit
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Ceremony contributions in kind or cash
from relatives
Claim of dowry and/or number of animals
in a form of bride price which is as a pay
back
Prestige and social acceptance (for fame)
Social Reasons
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Fear for abduction
Fear for the female children not doing well
in school
Fear for ostracization and stigmatization
by the society
Protecting virginity (premarital sex), and
unwanted pregnancy
Urge to conform to tradition
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Fear of losing the bride price and relation
with unwanted family
Cementing kinship ties
Economic Reasons
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Feel of obligation to secure child’s future
before they get weak or die
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Future reciprocal assistance
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Reduction of financial dependency of
children
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Linkage to a family who is financially better
off or a better “social standing"
Problems/Harms/Disadvantages
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(Psychological) forced sexual relation
and denial of freedom to play and enjoy
ones childhood
Distress is endured
Domestic violence
Reproductive health problems
Denial of education
Problems Continued
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Childhood pregnancy and child birth
associate trauma and fistula, high prenatal
and postnatal mortality and morbidity
The incidence of HIV infection
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Prostitution, crime, street begging, etc.
Rural to urban migration and suicide are
mostly used ways to escape
Population pressure, health costs, human
development loss
Problems Continued
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Hampering the realization of the MDG’s,
i.e. poverty reduction
Early widowhood, victim of wife
inheritance or primary HIV spreading
factor
Legislative Responses
Constitution
Marriage shall be concluded with free
and full consent of the spouses
Criminal Code
Imposes penalty on those who
solemnize, contract, permit or witnesses
to EM
Family Code
EM concluded subject to dissolution
What has been done so far?
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Conducted sample studies and launched
its findings
Involved religious leaders and trained
regional police
Encouraged the public to report to EWLA’s
branch offices before EM takes place
Provides legal aid and shelter services for
runaway kids
Strategies to combat the practice of
Early Marriage
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Educate girls and boys about
consequences of EM
Educate the community ,especially
parents,on the consequences of EM
Lobby the government to make primary
education mandatory
Police, prosecutors and courts need to
be equipped to deal with the problem
Strategies Cont’d
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Persuade parents to keep their daughters
in school
Build schools closer to the community
Involve more female teachers as role
models
Initiate Grass-root level work
Introduction of birth and marriage
registration
Strategies Cont’d
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Cash incentive to parents; in school child
care
Introduction of non-formal programs
Community involvement in running
schools
Emergency support for runaways
What should be the role of the
government, NGOs and the
international community?
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Implementing the laws need strong
attention and contribution on the side of
the government (political will and
commitment )
Working and involving local people by
respecting the whole societal value
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The campaign has to be aligned with girls’
education and economic empowerment
Fund/resources from the donors
Developing local initiatives, networking the
different initiatives at different levels
What Remains Cont’d
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Prepare series of educational forums for
law enforcement organs
Lobby the government on making
marriage registration mandatory and
follow its enforcement
Make extensive research on regional
occurrence, magnitude and reasons
Educate girls and boys
Sensitize parents
What Remains to Be Done?
Cont’d
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Expand the tutorial service provided to
girl’s education to regional states
Involve religious leaders, police officials
and public prosecutors
Introduce community conversation and
dialogue forums
Thank you for your
attention