Forced Marriages in Tanzania
Article Commentary on Forced Marriages in Tanzania
The news article written by Marc Ellison covers broadly the issue of rape, abduction and forced marriages which are common practices in northern Tanzania. Kupura is the word that encapsulates all these acts which have been validated by the Sukuma men with a slogan of alcohol and meat. Surprisingly, when someone is found committing any of the kupura acts, no intervening is allowed from the passersby (Ellison, 2016). Kupura has been so prevalent that parents always have a clue of the location of their lost daughters since men are allowed to grab girls as soon as they are in need of them. Instead of involving the government, parents choose to hire local men to go and rescue their child after which the bride price is negotiated. Itendelebanya who is a legal and gender officer in the locality points out that parents look up to their daughters as a source of wealth to an extent that the daughters are taken to a witchdoctor so as to attract wealthy suitors. Writers who offer sociology dissertation help at Edudorm essay writing service notes that as much as remoteness of the area is a factor that affects the occurrence of kupura, policemen are also very corrupt and get paid to approve some early forced marriages. The author expresses his pain concerning the experiences that girls in this area undergo and becomes bitter to the government for having not taken the correct measures to combat the issue (Ellison, 2016).
Acts of Forced Marriages in Tanzania
Marc Ellison has presented his thoughts about kupura with reference to the historical background of the acts. I am also inclined to support or agree with his argument that kupura is an issue to be considered. He presents a representative sample of how the female child is abused in the entire traditional African heritage. The cries of the suffering girl child in this region remains hopeless because the intermediate people who would help them are her forsakes (Ellison, 2016). Experts who offer social science assignment help at Edudorm essay writing service indicates that justification of the kupura acts by the community remains to be the major hindrance towards the exercising of justice in the area. Ellison makes another substantial claim of negligence which results from the contradictions seen in the Tanzanian government. It also supports the claim because the regular amendments of the marriage act are indeed contradicting. That of 1971 allowed forced marriages of children of 15 years and above while the child act of 2009 provides that all people under the age of 18 are children. My support is grounded by the fact that the author has used primary data which is the Tanzanian’s constitution to prove the negligence of the government towards fighting against child marriage abuse which is termed as kupura (Ellison, 2016).
Upholding Children’s Rights against Forced Marriages
Another significant point that Ellison makes is the role of parents and the entire community in upholding children’s rights against forced marriages. The author’s primary data is based on the cultural practices of compensation returns to the parents. Authors who offer public relations assignment help at Edudorm essay writing service points that it is worrying that parents would prefer two to three cows in exchange of justice for their children. Materialism is the main factor that blinds the poverty-stricken parents which makes them to accept financial compensation in exchange to justice (Ellison, 2016).
The Role of Feminism movements
Feminism movements which tirelessly fight for various rights for women and girls are the only hope of the girls in northern Tanzania. This is because all of the kupura constituents presented in this article are the ultimate target for these movements. Tutors who offer philosophy assignment help at Edudorm essay writing service acknowledges that more specifically, the movement of the reproductive justice has covered all the rights that a woman or a girl should have concerning the physical mental and the social well being among others that girls in this region are denied. The reproduction justice has considered the age bracket of the girls at which forced marriages would not be permitted.
Conclusion
The feminist movement also aims at establishing gender equality which as for centuries been denied to the girl child. Girls in northern Tanzania are not able to access education as boys do because they are forced to get into early forced marriages. The movements also fight for freedom from violence and discrimination which have been seen cherishing in this region. Denial of privileges of self-actualization would be also a factor handled by the feminist movement which gives females the right to choose what they want. Girls of this region need such freedom to choose or reject what is not in line with their wishes. This would limit the parental control of the marital decisions made in the society.
Reference
Ellison M., (2016) Tales of a child bride: ‘My father sold me for 12 cows’
