Forced Marriage & Genital Mutilation: Kareen Bosung’s Predicament

 By Nana John Besong    

 Stories about forced marriages and female genital mutilation (FGM) are common in some parts of Cameroon in particular and Africa in general.

    Female children, who get to maturity and young women, have tales to tell about decisions taken on their behalf by family members. Some of these decisions have to do with forced marriage, in some cases even to the unborn female child by an ‘agreement’ of two independent families whose heads have their parochial interests to protect.

    In Cameroon, an estimated 47% of girls under 18 reportedly get married - usually against their will - because they are seen as an economic burden to their families. These girls often remain in poverty because they leave school to marry and have no access to income-generating opportunities. They are more likely to be victims of domestic and sexual violence; highly vulnerable to sexually transmitted infections including HIV; and they face a high risk of complications, even death, during pregnancy and childbirth.  

   Cameron’s Civil Status Registration (Ordinance No. 81-02 of June 29, 1981), in its Article 52 states: “No marriage may take place: 1) If the girl is younger than 15 years…unless for serious reasons and a waiver has been granted by the president of the Republic”

  This law appears to be largely disregarded in rural settings as village custodians insist on the respect of their traditions and customs.

  On a recent outburst on the dehumanizing effects of FGM, Dr. Joseph Tabi Tabi, a medical doctor practicing in Douala, Cameroon made the following remark about FGM:

 “This is a situation whereby the clitoris of a female is taken off in the village setting during the process of circumcision. This is the removal of the clitoris in the vagina.”

   He regretted the negative effects of FGM.“There are several complications that come in thereafter.  The issue of HIV/AIDS comes in as one blade is used for many persons in the process. There is civilization and increasing awareness of things happening around us. The youths of today say no to FGM and forced marriage and it should be abolished.

     A lot of young girls in Manyu Division in Cameroon are fleeing the area. Grace Ngwai Agbor, now in Europe reportedly fled form Cameroon because every time she went to her village in Manyu Division, she is said to have been reminded by her family there that, she had to undergo the process of FGM, a practice she detested and publicly condemned

   Found in this dilemma, she reportedly decided to leave the country.  And that is how Cameroon lost one of her upcoming and resourceful youths to another country.

   Another lady, Kareen Nyasa Bosung, a University of Buea law graduate, has her own story to tell. A native of  Akwaya,one of the most enclaved regions of Cameroon, Nyasa Bosung has been  battling with her family members over cultural practices she thinks are old-fashioned .

 “I heard this story before and it is now very clear to me that the practice of forced marriage and genital mutilation has a stronghold in Akwaya villages,” Bosung regretted. She is said to be on the run after her life was made unbearable by a ceratin Mr. Tabi of of same village when she refused to respect a forced marriage arrangement. He stalked her even after she ran away from the village.

  Haunted by the scare and members of her villagers who wished to see Bosung succumb to these traditional practices, this young woman is not only psychologically traumatized, but has reportedly lost her marriage to her husband.

  Hear her: “They called me a prostitute who ran away to marry another man even though I was already married.  They cursed me several times, shouted and swore I will never prosper nor succeed in my life.”

  The educational system in rural areas is a great push factor for early marriages in Cameroon. Gender based violence(GBV), poor infrastructure, gender bias teaching material(text books), cultural practices which discourage parents from fully investing on the education of women, and a non-conducive learning environment are all motivating factors for girls to drop out of school.

   Hailing from a rural community, I have observed that most girls who drop out of school have marriage as a main option. Thus, education in rural communities should be made not only more accessible and efficient but also more welcoming to girls. Girls should be encouraged to finish their schooling because education can give them more opportunities and independence. Legal measures which render education compulsory and free for all should be implemented by all African Governments so that women and girls will be able to depend on themselves for a livelihood and not turn to men and early marriage to sustain them. Family Life Education should also be introduced into schools so that boys and girls will be educated about the dangers of premature sexuality which lead to unwanted pregnancies. If a girl should become pregnant prematurely, she should be given the opportunity to continue with her education before and after childbirth. Adult literacy rates need to be improved to encourage a change of mentality which will consequently favour the promotion of girls’ education. Education is fundamental to establish gender equality. Laws should be translated into simple formats and local languages for everyone to understand so that they can see the importance of gender equality and development. Perpetrators who force this responsibility on women should be punished by law whether it is in a context of conflict or not. The imposed status of marriage has chronic long-term consequences for women, while the men who force the marriages lose nothing. Forced marriage should be a codified crime prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

   Forced marriage and the resulting early pregnancy, and other traditional practices, are harmful to girls but because they are deeply rooted in mentalities and cultures, combating them is a real challenge. Some practitioners, some of whom are women, understand how damaging these traditions are to girls’ health but because of fear of being discriminated against by their communities, they hold on to them and socialise the girls to accept them as normal. These negative customs cannot be eradicated unless the harmful mentalities of the practitioners are eradicated. Those fighting for change should also understand the reasons for those beliefs and practices so that they know where and how to open the communication channels to change these mentalities and behaviors. Mentalities need to be changed if legal actions against these traditions are going to be accepted and gender equality promoted.