Kifle, Elshaday2021-04-262023-11-082021-04-262023-11-082013http://etd.aau.edu.et/handle/123456789/26201The 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.enHuman Rights:Thesis