Yekaba Destaw Mekuant, now 16, is a girl from Lasta district Sorba kebele, Amhara region, who stopped her own marriage at 12 years old. She was still underage and just a fifth grade student when her sister told her that she saw and heard a man in their house talking to her parents about marrying her.
“I began to worry,” says Yekaba. “I wrote a note that I was scared of being married and put it in a box. My teacher found the note and spoke to my aunt about my marriage. My aunt told my father to cancel the wedding.”
Her aunt said: “When I heard my niece Yekaba was going to get married, I went and gathered her family. I told them she should not get married; she should continue her education so she will have a bright future.”
Yekaba on her part tried best to persuade her father. Finally, her father decided to cancel the marriage and let her pursue education. ‘’I want her to go to University and achieve an important position in the society,” her father told the family.
In the meantime, the exuberant Yekaba says that she is studying hard to become a doctor and serve her community. And she feels confident that her parents support her.
Yekaba is now part of the Girls Advocacy Alliance Project of Plan International Ethiopia, a multi country project supporting girls to stand up for their rights. She participates in peer to peer discussion at her school and also where girls can secretly alert teachers about planned child marriages.
She says, “Plan International has taught me and other girls how to fight against harmful practices including early marriage. I would have been married by now and expecting a baby sometime soon if it was not for the training I received.”
One of family’s seven children, Yekaba says I her community girls are not seen and valued like boys. The community members values boys than girls. Families and community members often send boys frequently for education than Girls. Girls are mainly overburdened with house hold chores, like fetching water, preparation of food, etc.
‘’Know the law and your rights. Tell your teachers and friends so they can help you. I am glad my father now supports my dreams. ’’, Yekaba affirmed.
Every year on the 11th October, the International Day of the Girl (IDG) is celebrated across the world under various themes – the theme for 2019 GirlForce: Unscripted and Unstoppable. Plan International celebrated the day across the world with a call to action for decision makers to implement commitments and initiatives that will break barriers such as discrimination and prejudice that is continuing to hold girls back.
As the world moves towards ensuring equitable access for all children in its 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, as well as the African Union Agenda 2063, children and young adults with various forms of disabilities who are the most vulnerable are relegated to the background and denied the opportunity to live independent lives in society.
According to the World Health Organization, 15% of the world population are people with disabilities. Fifty percent are women. Women and girls with disabilities are often times marginalized, abused and exploited. Their rights to access social, economic and political opportunities are not always guaranteed even though most countries have policies and legislations in place to cater for the needs of people living with disabilities.
According to UN statistics, there are currently over 600 million persons with disabilities throughout the world of whom 400 million live in developing countries and 80 million in Africa. It is also estimated that only 1% of the total humanitarian budget reach people with disability
In light of this, Plan International African Union Liaison Office calls for the universal ratification and domestication of the protocol to the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities in Africa and its full implementation. It also called for sustained investment towards girls with disability in humanitarian contexts.
Celebrating this year’s IDG, Plan International said that while changes in policy and legislation are necessary to protect and promote girls’ and women’s rights, it is also essential to challenge social norms, attitudes and behaviours that discriminate against girls with disability.
According to the Director for the Plan African Union Liaison Office, Samuel Norgah, any society that provides equal opportunities for girls, provides bedrock for future generations to eradicate poverty.
He said his organization commits to continue working with all stakeholders and organisations to provide opportunities for girls and young women to learn, lead, decide and thrive. He also pledged to continue supporting national and continental initiatives that are aimed at improving the conditions of girls and their agency.
Similarly, Plan International stands resolute against harmful cultural practices that continue to perpetuate and reinforce fight against early sexual debut, Female Genital Mutilation, child marriage and teenage pregnancies.
And, no dream is greater than a dream of a child. Youth led activism has helped reduce child marriage in Ethiopia in the last decade. Plan International believes that gender norms that lead to child marriage must be tackled by involving every generation in the conversation.
The Ethiopian Herald October 18, 2019
BY STAFF REPORTER
