8 December 2014 - Girls forced to marry young were unable to finish their education or enter into a career, according to the resident of an internally displaced persons (IDP) camp in Melut County, Upper Nile State.

Akwal Majok was speaking during a recent UNMISS-organized discussion with young girls who had experienced early marriages as part of activities to commemorate 16 days of activism to end violence against women at Dethoma One IDP camp.

Early and forced marriages from the ages of 12 to 16 are common practices tending to affect the wellbeing of most young girls in South Sudan.

“We are not happy with being married at a very young age, but we do not have a say when our parents decide to give us away for marriage,” Ms. Majok said.

She said most girls were deprived of education or the opportunity to develop themselves. “I was married at a very young age and my responsibilities as a housewife are to cook, clean and fetch water. I have no voice in society because I am very young and uneducated.”

“I am not married,” said another participant, Aben Thon Bol. “And I will not agree if my parents will want to give me away at this age because I want to be an educated and successful woman in future.”

Ms. Bol said many young girls who were married unfortunately ended up dying of complications contracted during pregnancy and delivery.

“Things have started to change slowly because parents have started realizing the consequences of early and forced marriage,” said participant Mary Achol Deng. “In time I believe these practices will stop.”

Sexual Gender-based Violence Assistant Atong Michael of the Danish Refugee Council urged parents to allow children to attend school, rather than forcing them to marry at an early age.