Notes to broadcasters
Notes to broadcasters
Marriage is the union of two people according to the legal requirements of a particular environment or country. Marriage is a decisive step in a person’s life. It brings two families together.
Indeed, there are different forms of marriage, including religious marriage, civil marriage and forced marriage. a young girl against her will, often through an arrangement. This form of marriage, which is still widespread in Africa, persists in certain areas of Mali due to traditional practices and economic in.
Marriage is the union of two people according to the legal requirements of a particular environment or country. Marriage is a decisive step in a person’s life. It brings two families together.
Indeed, there are different forms of marriage, including religious marriage, civil marriage and forced marriage. This last is when a young girl is married against her will, often through an arrangement. This form of marriage, which is still widespread in Africa, persists in certain areas of Mali due to traditional practices and economic interests.
According to a WiLDAF study report published in 2019, Mali has a forced marriage rate of 70% In this area, the country ranks third after Niger and Guinea in West Africa. The social, economic and psychological consequences are enormous for the girls who are victims. Hence the need to raise awareness about abandoning these practices, which are harmful to young girls. We need to look beyond the figures to understand the practice, including its determinants, consequences, and solutions that could empower young girls.
In this radio script, we talk to three people: a survivor, an expert in supporting young girls against forced marriage, and a teacher-sociologist committed to the same cause. They will talk about the problem and their efforts to address forced marriage.
To produce a program on forced marriage, you could draw inspiration from this script. If you decide to present it as part of your regular program, you can use voice actors or hosts to represent the interviewees. In this case, please inform your audience at the beginning of the program that the voices are those of actors or hosts, and not those of the actual interviewees.
If you want to develop programs about forced marriage, talk to a forced marriage expert on the subject. For example, you could ask your interviewees the following questions:
- What is a forced marriage?
- What’s the difference between early and forced marriage?
- What are the motivations of people who practice forced marriage?
- How can we help survivors?
- Are laws on this issue enforceable?
Estimated length of radio script with music, intro and extro: 20 minutes
Script
HOST :
Hello, dear listeners, welcome to our show.
Today, we’ll be talking with our guests about forced marriage, who will speak about the causes and consequences of forced marriage. We’ll also talk about what associations and organizations are doing to put an end to the practice.
We will talk to three resource persons. The first, Mrs. Mariam Koné, is a survivor of forced marriage in Kangaba, in the Koulikoro region. She will tell us how she survived the situation.
Next, we’ll speak with Mrs Fatou Dissa, President of Yereko KèLè, an association for the defense of young girls against forced marriage. She will share her experience and the methods used to help women survivors of forced marriage.
Finally, we welcome Mr. Daouda Koné, teacher, sociologist, social counselor. and member of the psychologist firm SESANG. With him, we will talk about the same topic, but from the perspective of the social impact of forced marriages on women and children.
Next, we’ll speak with Mrs Fatou Dissa, President of Yereko KèLè, an association for the defense of young girls against forced marriage. She will share her experience and the methods used to help women survivors of forced marriage. Finally, we welcome Mr. Daouda Koné, teacher, sociologist, social counselor. and member of the psychologist firm SESANG. With him, we will talk about the same topic, but from the perspective of the social impact of forced marriages on women and children.
HOST :
Hello and welcome, Miss Mariam Koné!
MARIAM KONE :
Thank you for having me.
HOST :
You escaped a forced marriage that left a terrible mark on you. Tell us how it happened.
MARIAM KONE :
My life changed completely ten years ago when my young uncle came to fetch up in Bamako at my elder sister’s house. I was 16 and in high school. In the middle of the school year, my uncle whisked me away from my village. When we arrived in the village of Deguela, Cercle de Kangaba, my paternal aunt informed me that my husband wanted us to get married as soon as possible. I asked: “How long have I been engaged and who is this mysterious husband?” I was told that his name was Famori Traoré, the cousin of my father’s friend who had made a fortune abroad and returned to settle in the village. My aunt told me that I would be very happy because I would be the third wife of a wealthy 46-year-old man. And that he would treat me with great care, since I was the same age as his second daughter.
I started crying like a baby. My aunt told me I’d eventually come to terms with my situation. My mother was sad but couldn’t say anything. In our culture, women have nothing to say in such situations, for fear of being accused of being an accomplice to their child’s refusal. Inwardly, she supported me. At the same time, she wanted me to be the rich old man’s wife rather than marry a poor young man of my own choosing. So, I decided to flee to my maternal uncle Samba Camara in the neighbouring village of Bancoumana. The whole village looking for me. All my girlfriends were questioned, but nothing came of it.
My father said he would divorce my mother if she didn’t tell them where I was hiding. His honour was at stake and he didn’t know how to return the dowry. My family had already received my dowry, which consisted of two oxen, a cow, three bags of rice, and a bag of maize, plus 200,000 CFA francs. My mother didn’t know what to say. Even if she figured out my hiding place, she didn’t know anything about it. So she suggested that my father send some people to my uncle in Bancoumana. They found me there. My paternal uncle Ousmane Koné and my father tied me up and beat me until blood ran down my back. I told my father I’d rather die than be forced into marriage. They locked me up in a house where I was all alone. I took care of all my bodily needs on the spot, and at night I slept with my maternal great-aunt.
My uncle and one of his friends, teacher Issa Sacko, came to the village to try to reason with my parents, but to no avail! Seeing that I was very ill, my uncle asked my father to let him take me to hospital. From the hospital, my uncle’s friend drove me to Bamako. After spending two days with him, I was informed about Fatou’s association, which helps young girls victims of forced marriage.
HOST :
In light of these events, what decision did your parents take?
MARIAM KONE :
In our culture, the mother’s role is to inform the daughter that she has a husband. She teaches her how to behave with her husband and her in-laws and how to organize the festivities on the wedding day. Traditionally, men take the decisions. Women have no authority to oppose men’s will, lest they be rejected by society. Sometimes, husbands punish or divorce them.
On the one hand, my father was not opposed to the marriage because of the weight of tradition and the family’s financial situation. Also, he was the one who initiated the marriage. Also, in his capacity as guardian of tradition, he approved the dowry. As this involved his daughter, he had no choice but to watch his brothers carry out the procedures.
HOST :
When you left Bamako for the village, did you have any idea of what to expect?
MARIAM KONE :
I thought these things only existed in novels. And I never imagined that my own parents could act like that.
HOST :
It must have been very difficult.
MARIAM KONE :
In my isolation, I didn’t have the means to end my life. Otherwise, I would have done it. I refused food and medical care. I prayed every day that death would come and take me.
HOST :
What encouraged you to leave your uncle’s home?
MARIAM KONE :
I always thought they could come and take me away from him too. That’s why I didn’t go to my sister’s house. She called me anti-traditional. But the President of the association kept me in a place where I was safe. She didn’t hesitate to call in the police to protect the women she took in.
HOST :
When you arrived, what did the association do for you?
MARIAM KONE :
First of all, they reassured me that everything was going to be fine. Then I had a working session with a psychologist and a sociologist. After that, they asked me what I wanted to do with my life. I decided to go to night school. I was registered at a sewing centre to obtain a certificate.
HOST :
After being taken in by the association, did your family repay the dowry?
MARIAM KONE :
I didn’t try to find out. They’re the ones who wanted me to get married. So, it’ was up to them to find a solution.
HOST :
What is your relationship with your family like now?
MARIAM KONE :
From time to time, I talk to my mother, but I can’t forget what my father did to me. They shattered my dream and today I don’t want to get married. The wound hasn’t healed yet. Even if I forgive my father, I’ll never forget this pain.
HOST :
What advice do you have for women, girls and decision-makers?
MARIAM KONE :
I would simply like to say to these women and girls that all individuals are equal before the law. No one has the right to harm another. We marry for love, to be happy, not to please someone by agreeing to be sold like an object or an animal. The authorities need to know that these practices are like thorns in women’s flesh. Marriage is not a trade, and a girl is not a slave. She has the right to do what she wants with her life and to choose whom to marry without pressure. I was lucky enough to get out of it. But how many women have committed suicide? We need to open our eyes now!
PRESENTER:
Thank you, Miss Mariam Koné. We now welcome Mrs. Fatouma Dissa, known as Fatou, President of Yereko KèLè, an association for the defense of young girls against forced marriages and a WiLDAF member.
WiLDAF Mali is a network of some twenty associations and fifty individual members. Its aim is to protect and promote the rights of women and children. It also seeks to ensure that rights are respected. So Fatou, what is forced marriage?
FATOU DISSA :
Forced marriage is the act of marrying someone against their will. It is an arranged marriage in which the family imposes the marriage on a child. These marriages mainly affect young girls, and to a lesser extent young boys. In Africa, they generally occur because of tradition and economic interests.
HOST :
What are the causes of these forced marriages in Mali?
FATOU DISSA :
There are many causes. Gender inequality is at the root – the fact that girls and women have a lower status than men. Girls are forcibly married off at a young age. They are seen as a burden on the family, and their well-being is not a priority. Poverty is also a determining factor. The marriage of a young girl allows the parents to have one less mouth to feed, to enrich themselves, and to create strategic alliances with another family. In addition, certain traditional practices are at the root of forced marriage. In many countries, female virginity is a prerequisite for family honour. Parents marry off their daughters long before they are ready to have sex, to preserve them from becoming pregnant and unmarriageable.
HOST :
How do you help survivors?
FATOU DISSA :
We work with WiLDAF, the umbrella organization for all associations and NGOs working for equality and women’s rights in Mali. We have a reception centre for women and girls, as we first have to find a place for them to stay. Then we work with psychologists, sociologists, and often voluntareer doctors to listen to the survivors and reassure them. At the same time, we have a team of lawyers and police officers to help them file complaints, if necessary. We also organize training seminars to help them find jobs, to help them integrate into the working world.
HOST :
What makes it difficult to enforce laws already adopted in Mali?
FATOU DISSA :
The weight of social constraints and lack of resources. To force politicians to act, we need to put pressure on the State. And to do that, we need an awareness-raising mission and nationwide media campaigns with teams of lawyers, sociologists, doctors, and psychologists. All this requires resources.
In Mali, as elsewhere in Africa, this is difficult due to a number of factors. The first is the weight of the Muslim religion. Mali is 95% Muslim. Religion says that when a young girl has her first menstrual period, you have to think about finding her a husband. In society, a girl is often considered a burden. Many parents feel that if the girl marries quickly, they won’t have any more burdens to bear. So, it’s hard to convince them otherwise.
Recently, as was the case in 2019, a preliminary bill against gender violence put forward by women’s and civil society organizations which took forced marriage into account, was not adopted. This was due, in particular, to pressure from powerful religious groups.
HOST :
What should be done next?
FATOU DISSA :
Awareness campaigns should be directed towards parents and local authorities to inform them of the dangers of early marriage and of girls’ rights. We also need to make children and young people aware of their rights and teach them how to defend them. Secondly, it is important to lobby governments to adopt laws against forced marriage or to improve on existing laws. Finally, we need to put an end to the feminization of poverty. This is the best way to combat child marriage. A self-reliant woman will protect her daughters against forced marriage.
HOST :
Thank you very much, Mrs. Fatou Dissa. Now we turn to Daouda Koné, teacher, sociologist, social adviser, and member of the psychology firm SESANG.
Mr. Koné, what are the socio-cultural and economic factors behind forced marriage?
DAOUDA KONE :
Forced marriage is rooted in gender inequality and the low value placed on girls. Other factors aggravate the situation: cultural and religious norms, values, traditions, and poverty. There are also concerns about the safety and protection of girls, lack of education, and weak policies and legal measures. In reality, girls are seen as a burden. In many parts of the country, child marriage is a traditional practice that continues simply because it has been going on for generations. To depart from tradition is to risk exclusion from the community.
In situations of extreme poverty, giving a daughter in marriage means parents have one less person to feed, clothe, and educate. This reduces family expenses. In communities where a dowry is paid, it often represents a healthy income for poor families. Added to this is the growing decline in girls’ enrolment rates, and efforts to keep them in school. Only 23.8% of girls are in the second cycle of primary education, a time when they are 12-16 years old according to the National Institute of Statistics. As a result, thousands of girls like Mariam drop out of school every year to start a family.
HOST :
Can forced marriage be considered rape?
DAOUDA KONE :
If we look at the definitions, I’d say yes. Forced marriage often involves violence and sexual abuse on the part of the husband. Sexual relations are often forced. Rape, by definition, is a sexual act committed against a person without their consent. It can be carried out by force, surprise, threat, trickery or, more generally, under duress.
HOST :
What are the consequences of forced marriages on young girls?
DAOUDA KONE :
Forced marriage has serious consequences for a girl’s life, her community, and her entire country. These can include violence, sexual abuse by the husband, and forced sexual relations. It can also lead to the risk of early pregnancy, the leading cause of death among girls aged 15 to 19, as well as HIV. Even if a girl has been fortunate enough to receive sex education, she is rarely in a position to negotiate safe sex. What’s more, once married, a girl is considered an adult and is dependent on her husband. She often has no interest in going to school. In any case, domestic chores and child-rearing leave her no time. Forced marriages prevent women from escaping poverty.
HOST :
What solutions do you propose?
DAOUDA KONE :
First of all, we need to combine the efforts of the various NGOs and associations interested in the subject. We also need to involve village chiefs and religious authorities. For it’s in the name of religion and custom that forced marriages are practiced. Ultimately, in Mali, the fight against forced marriages will only be successful if the State plays its role fully. We cannot count on any other solution in the short or medium term.
HOST :
Thank you for your explanations, Mr. Koné. Forced marriages are a reality in many parts of the world, including Africa. Both men and women can be survivors. In the majority of cases, young people suffer most from forced marriages in Mali. It is more urgent than ever that the country’s authorities take steps to put an end to these practices, which have produced and continue to produce survivors. This brings us to the end of our program today. Thank you to all our guests and to all of you who are following us. See you soon for another program.
Acknowledgements
Acknowledgements:
Contributed by: Cheick Bounama Coulibaly, journalist-lecturer, Maarif foundation, fraternité production, Bamako, Mali.
Reviewed by:
Interviews:
Mrs. Mariam Konaté, dressmaker, survivor of forced marriage, Ségou region. Interview conducted on February 24, 2023.
Mrs. Fatou Dissa, President of the Association for the Defense of Young Girls against Forced Marriage Yereko KèLè. Interview conducted on February 26, 2022.
Mr. Daouda Koné teacher, sociologist, social adviser, and member of the psychology firm SESANG. Interview conducted on March 6, 2023.
WiLDAF’s 2019 report on early marriage: https://idl-bnc-idrc.dspacedirect.org/bitstream/handle/10625/58416/58546.pdf
