The Nexus between Culture and Women’s Human Rights: The Case of Absuma Marriage in Afar
No Thumbnail Available
Date
2013
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Abstract
The essence of this thesis is to explore the nexus between culture and women’s human rights in
the context of absuma marriage in Afar. Culture is conceptualized in different ways both by
anthropologists and human rights activists. Culture is not static; rather it is in a constant change
and adaptions. It is among factors that coin society’s structures and has a direct bearing on how
members of a community treat women and girls. With this understanding, the Afar absuma
marriage culture was explored from the emic (inside) perspective to understand the underlying
reasons, justifications, ongoing social changes as the culture is perceived by Afar people. Based
on the emic perspective findings, the etic (outsider) perspective explores absuma marriage using
the women’s human rights lens focusing on the right to marry and found a family in terms of
element of consent and minimum age requirement of intending spouses. Different literatures
were used to canvas the main issue that revolve around women, culture, women’s human rights,
anthropology and human rights discourses convergence and divergence. IHRIs, Regional HRs
Instruments, General Recommendations and National and Regional laws were also consulted.
To understand the emic and etic perspectives, FGDs and in-depth interviews were conducted
with key informants in Semera (Zone 1), Awash-Fentale and Gewane Woredas from Zone 3 of
Afar regional state. Among the emic findings were ongoing social changes in terms of age and
consent, subtle and sometimes vulgar inner contestations in the form of committing suicide or
attempted suicide, fleeing to Djibouti, accessing Bureau of Women, Children and Youth Affairs,
Police and Sharia Courts to stop or dissolve a forced marriage were seen. Counter resistant
positions were also reflected. In terms of the etic perspectives, it was found out that women and
girls rights to give free consent and fulfilling minimum marriageable age requirements were
violated. In a nutshell, the interaction of WHRs and culture in the absuma marriage context
sometimes takes a positive correlation whereas at times when underlying reasons for some
practices and justifications though seemed neutral has taken a negative toll on women’s human
rights promotion and protection.
Description
Keywords
Human Rights: