Perceptions and Practices of Early Marriage in BoRama District, Somaliland

Abstract This study was undertaken to assess women's perceptions and practices of early marriage in Borama district, Somaliland.The study was guided by the following research objectives; to determine the perceptions of Somaliland women on early marriage in Borama district, Somaliland, to examine maniage practices in Borama district, Somaliland and to establish the cultural inclination of Somali land women on early marriage in Borama dist1ict, Somaliland. This study adopted cross-sectional survey design using both the quantitative and qualitative methods of data collection. The researcher to collect infonnation from a cross-section of a given population. This study design was used because it is the most commonly used research method in social research. This is because results from such a survey method are easily extrapolated to the entire population. In conclusion, the imposition of a man"iage partner on children or adolescents who are in no way ready for manied life, and whose marriage will deprive them of freedom, opportunity for personal development, and other rights including health and well-being, education, and participation in civic life, nullifies the meaning of the CRC's core protections for those concerned. Unless measures are taken to address early marriage, it will continue to be a major stumbling block to the achievement of human rights. This research rep01t is intended merely as a slatting-point, drawing attention to a practice that has been neglected by both women's and children's rights campaigners in recent decades. The study recommends that there is need to address the needs of married children, existing interventions should be expanded to enhance married girls' and boys' educational opp01tunities, social networks, economic assets, negotiating skills, and access to health and other social services. Working with lawmakers and parliamentarians is also critical, as they can promote enactment, implementation, and enforcement of laws and policies that discourage early matTiage. Community leaders, traditional leaders, and members of law enforcement and the judicial community have critical contributions to make in implementing and enforcing laws passed.

TABLE OF CONTENT

Declaration ............................................................................................................................................... i

Approval ................................................................................................................................................. ii

Abbreviation/ Acronyms ......................................................................................................................... iii

Acknowledgments ............... : .................................................................................................................. iv

List of Tables ....................................................................................................................................... viii

List of figure .......................................................................................................................................... ix

Abstract .................................................................................................................................................. x

CHAPTER ONE ..................................................................................................................................... I

INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................... I

1.0 Introduction ....................................................................................................................................... I

1.1 Background of the Study ................................................................................................................... I

1.1.1 Historical Perspective ..................................................................................................................... I

1.1.2 Theoretical Perspective ................................................................................................................... 4

1.1.3 Conceptual Perspective ................................................................................................................... 4

1.1.4 Contextual Perspective .................................................................................................................... 5

1.2 Statement of the Problem ................................................................................................................... 6

1.3 PuqJose of the Study .......................................................................................................................... 7

1.4 Specific Objectives ............................................................................................................................ 7

1.5 Research Questions ........................................................................................................................... 7

1.6 Research Hypothesis .......................................................................................................................... 7

1.7 Scope of the Study ............................................................................................................................. 7

I. 7. I Geographical Scope ........................................................................................................................ 7

I . 7 .2 Content Scope ................................................................................................................................. 7

1.7.3 Time Scope ..................................................................................................................................... 8

1.8 Significance of the Study ................................................................................................................... 8

V

1.9 Operational definition of key terms .................................................................................................... 8

CHAPTER TWO .................................................................................................................................... 9

LITERATURE REVIEW ........................................................................................................................ 9

2.0 Introduction ....................................................................................................................................... 9

2.1 Theoretical review ............................................................................................................................. g

2.2 Conceptual framework ..................................................................................................................... IO

2.3 Related literature ............................................................................................................................. 11

2.3. I The women perceptions on early marriage .................................................................................... 11

2.3.2 The marriages that are practiced in Somaliland ............................................................................. 12

2.3.2.1 Education .................................................................................................................................. 14

2.3.2.2 Customs and Traditions ............................................................................................................. 15

2.3.2 Early marriage .............................................................................................................................. 17

2.4 The cultural inclination of Somaliland women and early marriage .................................................... 24

2.5 Research Gap of the Study ............................................................................................................... 29

CHAPTER THREE ............................................................................................................................... 31

METHODOLOGY ................................................................................................................................ 31

3.0 Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 31

3. l Research Design .............................................................................................................................. 31

3.2 Target Population ............................................................................................................................ 31

3.3 Sample Size ..................................................................................................................................... 31

3.4 Sampling Procedure ......................................................................................................................... 32

3.5 Research Instruments ....................................................................................................................... 33

3.5.1 Questionnaires .............................................................................................................................. 33

3.5.2 Interviews ..................................................................................................................................... 33

3.6 Validity and reliability of the instnunent .......................................................................................... 33

3.8 Data Analysis .................................................................................................................................. 34

vi

CHAPTER FOUR ................................................................................................................................. 36

DATA PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION ...................................................... 36

4.0 Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 36

4.1 Demographic Characteristics of Respondents ................................................................................... 36

4.3 The man-iage practices in Borama district, Somaliland ..................................................................... 40

CHAPTER FIVE ................................................................................................................................... 45

DISCUSIONS, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS ........................................................... 45

5.0 Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 45

5.1 Discussions of the findings .............................................................................................................. 45

5.1.2 Marriage practices in Borama district, Somali land ........................................................................ 49

5.1.3 Cultural inclination of women on early marriage in Borama district, Somaliland ........................... 51

5.2 Conclusion ...................................................................................................................................... 54

5.2.1 The perceptions of women on early marriage in Borama district, Somaliland ................................ 54

5.2.2 MmTiage practices in Borama district, Somaliland ........................................................................ 55

5.3 Recommendations ........................................................................................................................... 59

5.3.1 The perceptions of women on early marriage in Borama district, Somaliland ................................ 59

5.3.3 The inclination of women perception on the early maniage in Borama district, Somaliland ........... 62

References ............................................................................................................................................ 66

APPENDIX: A Questionnaire for Respondents ...................................................................................... 69

SECTION B: Cultural inclination of women on early ma1Tiage in Borama district, Somaliland ............ 72

An Interview Guide for Respondents ..................................................................................................... 74