Association Cancels Wedding of

Young Girl Students

ALAMATA, Feb. 21 (WIC) – The Association of Alamata Women in southern Tigray zone said it has invalidated the engagement of 93 girl students whom it considered too young to enter into immediate wedlock. Association chairperson Woizero Almaz Alemu told WIC that the association had cancelled the supposed marriage of 93 out of 115 girl students whose immediate weddings had been arranged by order of their parents.

The wedding of the girl students aged between 8 to 15 years had been cancelled following petitions submitted to the association by the concerned students on their own initiative.

Accordingly, the association decided to cancel the supposed weddings after holding consultations with its own members, teachers and the student's parents.

Meanwhile, the case of eight girl students who had been married under pressure of their parents had been taken to the social court and pending decision.

In the meantime, teachers and members of the women's associations of the various woredas are exerting all efforts to stop this practice of marrying girl students before they finish their education.