A woman’s rights activist has urged authorities in South Sudan’s Lakes State to protect the rights of women in society.
Alewia Enock Machiek, Chairperson for the Women’s Forum in Lakes State, said: “There were many of our young women, particularly girls who died at early ages because of forced marriages.”
She appeals to the state government to liaise with national and international non-governmental organizations and conduct massive awareness on dangers of gender-based violence, early and forced marriage.
“Women in Rumbek are not given their rights. Every man thinks that a married woman has no right to make any decision without her husband’s directives. Many young girls suffer, most especially from physical torture whenever they refuse to be married off,” said Machiek. “We have cases of young girls who escaped because their parents wanted to marry them off for many cows.”
Juzella Dominic, a resident of Malualbab area, recalled witnessing a pregnant young girl being divorced from her husband in Rumbek town court last month because the man lacked cows.
“This shows there is no consideration to women’s rights to marry men of their choices in Rumbek. Girls are being forced to marry men for resources,” she said.
Article 15 of the South Sudan constitution says that any person of marriageable age has the right to form a family and Article 17 guarantees women and girls the right to consent to marriage.
The constitution also defines a child as anyone under the age of 18, and further states that the best interests of the child will be protected in all matters related to his or her life.
Previous studies found that child marriage in many parts of South Sudan is still influenced by traditions, and the main drivers are now hunger fuelled by conflict as well as breakdown in the rule of law.