Parents: Stop being the Taliban of South Sudan

By Georgette Roro

In the day that the world and South Sudan celebrate the International Women’s Day, with the aim of inspiring them achieving their goals through the provision of equal platforms that will allow them to access their social, cultural, economical, professional and educational rights within a society, South Sudan is still larking behind in issues pertaining girls’ access to education due to early and forced marriages. This is the reason why the national theme chosen for this year International Women’s Day is “Pledge to End Child Marriage” in South Sudan. According to the UN 52% of girls in South Sudan are married before their 18th birthday. A practice which is being highly condemned by the government and humanitarian organizations, UN agencies and human rights activists. Yet, it is still widely practiced by parents who perceive marrying their daughters at an early age is a source of enrichment to the family and a type of protection to the girl. However, the disadvantages of child marriage overshadow the advantages. For example, In a Human Watch report, child marriage is being described as responsible for gender gaps in school enrolment. It also contributes in soaring maternal mortality rate and violates the rights of girls to be free from violence.

Moreover, the national consequences of such a practice outweigh by far the immediate family consequences. Depriving a girl of education due to marriage does have a negative impact on the social development of any nation. Women in many African nations are very instrumental and are playing a vital role in the upbringing of their children; they don’t only feed and care for their children but are also responsible for preparing them to be good citizens who are capable of looking after themselves and their nation. A woman is fundemental for her family development and well being because at many times she is not just a mother figure or mother figures, but she could also be a bread winner. Women in South Sudan especially the uneducated deserve lot of credits as they tend to embark on jobs which are sometimes categorized as hard and could cause many health hazards. These women do work as stone breakers, tea sellers, unqualified cooks, bakeries, brewery makers, land cultivators, handicrafts makers etc, so as to provide food and other necessities for their children, beside other household chores that they need to carry out on a daily basis. They are always ready to sacrifice and go an extra mile to ensure that their children are safe, fed and secure. However, in many occasions, especially for those who were deprived from their education due to their parents decision to marry them at an early age; we find that most of them are living a life of series of misfortunes, what they earn might only be enough to bring some basic food to their children, and many are not aware of the importance of child education or may not have the means to send their children to schools. This is one of the main dilemmas that such women face due to being married at an early age. The pretexts that their family use as reasons for marrying them is normally far from the truth because even for the supposedly wealthy called husbands, they usually marry one wife after another not for the wives’ own sake but theirs- properly a sign of boosting to others about their affordability. As for the wife, it is just a continuing struggle. All what he is trying to demonstrate is the wealth he has, but it is well known that a wealth which is not well looked after is a curse. For the unfortunate wives, who are only equipped with little or no education, the only way out for them is to seek unskilled, or little paid work that can’t make ends meet. So, the protection and the security and the alleged wealth are only for the parents not the girl. Moreover, and worse of all the parents by their selfish behaviour are committing three unforgiveable crimes first by destroying their daughter’s future and second by destroying the soon to be her children’s future and third by creating a dismantled and a scar society with no gender equilibrium. In addition, there might be a repetitive cycle of poverty; the girl herself might in the future marry her girl early if she has one also for allegedly seeking more wealth. The truth of the matter is, neither the parents nor the girl if she decides to follow their footsteps will break the cycle of poverty, the only real breakthrough that is prominent and everlasting is education.

Education is a straight path that can only make you move forward, as a mother you would be able to enlighten your children. The children would be able to make informed choices and contribute effectively to the development of their society and in making a difference to the world they live in.

Parents who cunningly prey on their daughters through marrying them early are creating a vacuum in the society. What type of a society are we envisaging if women contribution is second to none because of an uncalculated decision and action taken by parents, just to satisfy their selfish needs? The gender gap particularly in developing countries is still under process and a lot of polishing is needed in terms of issues pertaining education. Why widening it rather than narrowing it down? So, the cycle of poverty that their families selfishly try to break actually breeds more poverty rather than mitigates it. The person who pays dearly as a result of this awkward decision is the child or the girl herself. So, “Family Please honour your daughters” A strong message from Malala Yousafzai.

Yes, Malala Yousafzai, a Pakistani girl who at the age of only 11 went to her local press club in Pashawar- Pakistan delivering a speech against the Taliban accusing them of depriving her from her education. Her message was “How dare the Taliban take my basic right to education” she then reportedly started blogging to the BBC her life under the rule of Taliban. She has since been advocating for girls education lifting the slogan of the importance of Education to every child in her country. Her advocacy nearly cost her- her life. When in October 9th 2012 as she was riding the bus home coming back from school, she was targeted by the Taliban who shot her in the head and neck in an attempt to assassinate her in order to silence her pen and efforts of promoting education for girls in Pakistan. This outspoken girl was shot because she believes in education and was encouraging her peers to do the same and not to give in to the back warded ideologies that sees education as a threat and anti- Islamic. According to the Taliban women as seen as private entities, they are being confined to their homes and are not allowed to come out of their homes without a veil and without being accompanied by a close male relative. Women are not allowed to be treated by male doctors, or do any jobs or get any education. Women were largely excluded from going to school and from working outside the house. This patriarchal mentality means that girls have the right to be wives only. Hence, in the short period that the Taliban had controlled Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, they violently destroyed educational infrastructure and nearly 63 schools for girls were closed down.

Mean while, Malala’s commitment to education has moved from an individual concern to a national and international one. The Taliban tried to kill her to get rid of her commitment to education but she defeated them and the almighty God rescued her and she survived so that her message of “The right to education for every child” is heard globally. Child Education is every one’s cause and responsibility, As for Malala, her near to death experience became a stepping stone to tell the world the injustice that is happening to children like her who are usually subjected to malicious acts against their will. Her braveness and fighting for women’s and girls’ right to education won her a Nobel Peace Prize and other honorary prizes. Undoubtedly, getting rewarded and awarded for a job well done is excellent; nonetheless, fighting for a cause that attracts the world’s attention to make a move on issues relating to injustice and deprivation based on gender discrimination is outstanding.

It is hence crucial that girls are given an opportunity to complete their education in order to contribute not only in raising a well informed children through supporting them at home with various activities but also in contributing to a strong balanced and educated nation.

The government of South Sudan is showing its continuous commitment to support and promote education through its identification of education as a priority in its development plan. It’s been particularly adamant to provide the opportunity for girls to go to school, and to have an equal access to education. The 2008 Child Act and the transitional constitution provide for the right to free and compulsory primary education. It further states that no girl can be expelled from school due to pregnancy and that young mothers must be allowed to continue their education. Despite the government initiatives in promoting education, their efforts are still haven’t produced the required fruits and is largely being met by deaf ears. Parents are still cutting their children long term dreams short through pursuing short term wealth and hence victimising their children by practicing forced and early child marriage. It is about time for the government to introduce legal age for marriage so as to stop these violations of human rights. There have been an ongoing and collective efforts exerted at all levels to revert this unhealthy and unethical practice by pledging to end early child marriage and to alleviate child education. So, parents! Please stop being the TALIBANS to your children’s future and well being!

Long live girls’ education! Long Live South Sudan!

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