Nile Hope calls for end to child marriage in South Sudan

JUBA – Nile Hope, a local humanitarian organization in South Sudan, has called upon communities to end child marriage in the country.

Ruei Mading Wal, Nile Hope Protection Project Officer based in Akobo County,  said the organization is  supporting  policies of the government in Akobo County to advocate for funding Gender-Based Violence(GBV), and Early Child Marriage in  the County.

“Nile Hope with the support from UNFPA have been working hard to close the gaps in state laws that permit children to marry with consent from a parent or judge,” Wal said in a statement extended to Sudans Post on Friday.

Wal said closing the loopholes in state marriage laws is a crucial step toward protecting the right of all children to reach their full potential.

“However, the negative consequences associated with child marriage are violation of child rights, especially the girls’ right for choosing the right partner,” Wal said.

Wal said instead of permitting child marriage, state governments should invest in systems that support the right of the girls to choose their partners without influence from their parent.

“Nile Hope as the lead Partner of Consortium in Akobo has committed and reminded us as the community leaders to have shared experience, learn best practices and gained inspiration from very beginning of declaration being made, enacted and signed into practicality in order to end child marriage and harmful traditional practices in South Sudan,” Wal said.

“Therefore, Nile Hope is here doing advocacy (awareness) to alert your highness at Akobo County as Community Leaders, with commitment for best practices of Laws needed for the extermination of Gender Based Violence.”

He called on local authorities to enforce laws that forbid early child marriage in their communities.

“To be signed or enacted into laws by you before local authority as witnessed after much deliberation on ending child marriage and Harmful Traditional Practices but once we enacted and signed them as laws,” he said.

“They must be applicable within jurisdiction of Akobo County Traditional County daily session as part of their customary law and at the same time, the existing Nuer customary laws.”

In the research carried out by Nile Hope recently, revealed that in South Sudan, eighty-five (85%) percent of child marriages involve a girl married, trivially by older men.