Bride Price Payment and Its Impact on Gender Equality Among Me ‘En Community: The Case of Me’nit Shasha Woreda In West Omo Zone, Snnps’ Region

Abstract

Introduction: Marriage in most indigenous societies, involves the transfer of resources between the couples' parent, and this transfer is culturally relative. Objective: The main purpose of this study was to explore the practice of the bride price payment and perceptions among married women and men regarding its impacts on gender equality focusing on marital stability, violence and freedom; among the Me‟en community in the West Omo Zone, SNNP Region. Method: In order to address the objective of this study a qualitative research approach was employed. Two kebeles namely Jemu and Era-Me‟nit were selected and the married women and men participants were selected by employing a purposive sampling technique. A total of 49 informants took part in this study. FGDs, In-depth interviews, key informant interviews, and case studies were used as methods of data collection. Findings: Based on the finding of this study, the bride price is known as Kela among the Me‟en people, and it is still widely practiced. The Me‟en people have different forms of marriage, but bride price (kela) is found to be a key element and prerequisite of the marriage contract over all their marriage traditions. From the participants‟ point of view, the study revealed that although the bride price payment has its own advantages and disadvantages, the disadvantages are far greater on gender equality. Accordingly, married men participants were associated the practice with positive impacts while the married women were accompanying it with various drawbacks on their marital life. Due to bride price payment, women of Me‟en face abundant violations of fundamental rights. The community see the girls as a source of income, women are subjected to threats, beatings or physical violence, and evictions from their homes, violation of full property right, denial of access to legal divorce, polygamous marriage, widow inheritance, and prohibitions of women's fertility rights are some of the problems or violations that women face as a result of bride price payment. Recommendations: As the disadvantages of bride price payment are far greater, the study recommended that governmental organizations and other stakeholders that are working on women's issues should preserve the culture and work hard to reduce its drawbacks for women.