Assessing the Culture of Bride Price Among Bench People; the Case of Semen Bench Woreda
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ADDIS ABABA UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF LAW AND GOVERNANCE CENTER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS Marital Rights of Women: Assessing the Culture of Bride Price among Bench People; the Case of Semen Bench Woreda. By: Adam Dagne Thesis Advisor: Hirut Terefe (PhD) A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment for the Requirement of the Degree of Master of Arts for Human Rights at the Center for Human Rights, Addis Ababa University June, 2018 Addis Ababa DECLARATION I, Adam Dagne, declare that this thesis is my original work and has not been presented and submitted to any other university anywhere for the award of any academic degree, diploma or certificate. All sources or materials that I used in this thesis have been duly quote and acknowledged. Name: Adam Dagne Signature Date Confirmed by: Dr.Hirut Terefe (advisor) Signature Date ADDIS ABABA UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF LAW AND GOVERNANCE STUDIES CENTER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS Approval Sheet by the Board of Examiners Name: Adam Dagne Birike ID No. GSR/8532/09 Marital Rights of Women: Assessing the Culture of Bride Price among Bench People; the Case of Semen Bench Woreda . Approved by Examining Board Advisor Signature Date Internal Examiner Signature Date External Examiner Signature Date Addis Ababa University Acknowledgment First of all, I praise the father of all humanity, the Almighty God for enabling me to be this research. Second, I express my sincere gratitude to my thesis advisor, Dr. Hirut Terefe (Assoc. Professor) for her invaluable and relentless scholarly guidance. Third, I would like to thank all the respondents of the study that provides their genuine information on the study which helps me to accomplish the study specifically the cooperation of the officers in Bench-Maji Zone Women and Children Affairs Bureau, Tourism and Communication Office, and Officers in Women and Children Affairs Bureau of Semen Bench Woreda, public prosecutors, judges and NGOs managers in the study area. Moreover, my gratitude goes to Kasha, Gola and Wala Kebeles managers, elders, clan leaders, traditional spiritual leaders and women. My appreciation is also to Ato Tadesse Ayika who helped me as a language interpreter. i Acronyms ACHPR : African Charter on Human and People Rights ACRW : African Charter on Rights of Women BPA : Beijing Platform of Action BMZ : Bench - Maji Zone CEDAW : Convection on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women CSA : Central Statistics Agency FDRE : Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia FGD : Focus Group Discussion FGM : Female Genital Mutilation GTP : Growth and Transformation Plan EPRDF : Ethiopian People Revolutionary Democratic Front HIV/AIDS : Human Immune Virus/ Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome HTP : Harmful Traditional Practices ICCPR : International Convention on Civil and Political Rights ICESCR : International Convention on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights MOWA : Ministry of Women‟s Affairs SIDA : Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency SNNPR : Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples Region STD : Sexually Transmitted Diseases UDHR : Universal Declaration of Human Rights MoWCYA : Ministry of Women, Children and Youth Affairs ii Glossary Asha : The practice of offering a virgin girl as a ransom for the family victimized by another family when the latter has committed homicide Barz : Widow Inheritance marriage among Bench people Bayba : Bench people claim as their family Baykes : the dominant clan among Bench that control all spiritual, economic and socio-political organization Benchdod : Bench land Benchnon : the language of Bench people Birr : Ethiopian currency Chemo : A drink prepared from the leaves of a coffee Dash : Banana Ditchy : Maize Diyant : Cattle Dor : Sheep Dong : Sorghum Erage : Women‟s court among Bench people in the past Garska : Marriage by the consent between the two spouses Gez : Local drink of maize or sorghum among Bench people Giyam : Chicken Goca : Marriage by Abduction Gon : Redded – mud mixed with butter Iram : Blood money Jash : Ancestral land or it is believed the original homeland of Bench people which is located today in Me‟ent area. Kah : Possessing spirits and in some case traditional spiritual leaders also called Kah iii Kaskakotsa : A practice among Bench by which the man‟s family had the right to demand a younger sister if the first wife died before producing children. Kayat-ket : A special hut constructed for women to isolate herself during menstruation period from her family. Kebele : The smallest administrative units of Woreda or district Kest : Goat Kerd : A special leaf squeezed on the food if the wife and husband are conflicted Kominin / Gayni : The senior wife of the clan leader who preside Erage court previously Menja : Socially marginalized ethnic group in Semen Bench Woreda Mahr : A marriage gift to the bride family among Muslim peoples Mohar : Bride price payment mentioned in Old Testament Mianage : Ancestral spirits Punta Donta : Arranged marriage Qoys : If a women dies before she has given birth and if she has no younger sister, all the bride has to be returned to the husband that are paid during the wedding. Tilosh : Bride price Tiyat : King Tiyats : Regional lords Ukars : Village headmen Vyard : Marriage Woreda : Administrative Structure which is below Zone comprising of smallest administrative units (Kebeles) Yelimat Budden : Development groups Yekuntal Gabicha : Quintal Marriage Yesetoch Enat : Women‟s Mother iv Table of Contents Pages Acknowledgment ................................................................................................................. i Acronyms…………….. ...................................................................................................... ii Glossary…………. ............................................................................................................ iii Lists of Maps and Pictures ............................................................................................... viii Abstract …………………………………………………………………………………..ix Chapter – One ......................................................................................................................1 1.Introduction .......................................................................................................................1 1.1.Background of the Study ........................................................................................... 1 1.2.Statement of the Problem .......................................................................................... 4 1.3.Objectives of the Study ............................................................................................. 8 1.3.1. General Objective .............................................................................................. 8 1.3.2. Specific Objectives ............................................................................................ 8 1.4.Research Questions ................................................................................................... 9 1.5.Scope of the Study..................................................................................................... 9 1.6.Significance of the Study ........................................................................................ 10 1.7.Limitation of the Study ........................................................................................... 10 1.8. Research Methodology ........................................................................................... 11 1.8.1. Research Approach .......................................................................................... 11 1.8.2. Data Sources .................................................................................................... 11 1.8.3. Data Gathering Instruments ............................................................................. 11 1.8.3.1. In –depth Interview with Key Informants .................................................... 12 1.8.3.2. Focus Group Discussion with Key Informants............................................. 12 1.8.4. Sample Size and Techniques ........................................................................... 13 1.8.5. Data Analysis Techniques ............................................................................... 14 1.9.Ethical Considerations............................................................................................. 14 1.10. Organization of the Research Paper ..................................................................... 15 Chapter - Two ....................................................................................................................16 2.Review of Related Literatures ........................................................................................16 v 2.1. Definition of Key Words ........................................................................................ 16 2.1.1. Bride Price or Bride Wealth, Marriage and Culture ........................................ 16 2.1.2. Marriage Payments: Bride Price and Dowry....................................................... 20 2.3. Marital Rights of Women ....................................................................................... 23 2.3.1. Free and Full Consent of both Parties ............................................................. 23 2.3.2. The Right to Marriage and Found a Family .................................................... 24 2.3.3. Equal Rights within Marriage including Property Ownership and Inheritance……………………………………………………………………26 2.3.4. Access to Legal Divorce