The Nexus Between Culture And Womens Human Rights The Case Of Absuma Marriage In Afar

The essence of this thesis is to explore the nexus between culture and women’s human rights inrnthe context of absuma marriage in Afar. Culture is conceptualized in different ways both byrnanthropologists and human rights activists. Culture is not static; rather it is in a constant changernand adaptions. It is among factors that coin society’s structures and has a direct bearing on howrnmembers of a community treat women and girls. With this understanding, the Afar absumarnmarriage culture was explored from the emic (inside) perspective to understand the underlyingrnreasons, justifications, ongoing social changes as the culture is perceived by Afar people. Basedrnon the emic perspective findings, the etic (outsider) perspective explores absuma marriage usingrnthe women’s human rights lens focusing on the right to marry and found a family in terms ofrnelement of consent and minimum age requirement of intending spouses. Different literaturesrnwere used to canvas the main issue that revolve around women, culture, women’s human rights,rnanthropology and human rights discourses convergence and divergence. IHRIs, Regional HRsrnInstruments, General Recommendations and National and Regional laws were also consulted.rnTo understand the emic and etic perspectives, FGDs and in-depth interviews were conductedrnwith key informants in Semera (Zone 1), Awash-Fentale and Gewane Woredas from Zone 3 ofrnAfar regional state. Among the emic findings were ongoing social changes in terms of age andrnconsent, subtle and sometimes vulgar inner contestations in the form of committing suicide orrnattempted suicide, fleeing to Djibouti, accessing Bureau of Women, Children and Youth Affairs,rnPolice and Sharia Courts to stop or dissolve a forced marriage were seen. Counter resistantrnpositions were also reflected. In terms of the etic perspectives, it was found out that women andrngirls rights to give free consent and fulfilling minimum marriageable age requirements werernviolated. In a nutshell, the interaction of WHRs and culture in the absuma marriage contextrnsometimes takes a positive correlation whereas at times when underlying reasons for somernpractices and justifications though seemed neutral has taken a negative toll on women’s humanrnrights promotion and protection.

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