Insights

“When I heard about the wedding, the only thing on my mind was to run away. I didn’t know where to go at first, but I had to go far from the village to escape this marriage I didn’t want” -Mariam

According to UNICEF, 55% of Malian girls marry before the age of 18 (2016). Mariam (pseudonym) is a 15-year-old girl who lives with her parents in a village located in Nioro du Sahel. Full of ambition, Mariam dreams of becoming a nurse, although she enrolled late in school. In her village, early marriage is a common practice which is rooted in tradition and supported by religious beliefs. Parents believe that marriage ensures a steady future and protection for their daughters.

One day, upon coming back from school, Mariam discovered that she was to be given in marriage to a stranger much older than her. With no desire to be married and wanting to continue to pursue her dream of becoming a nurse, she decided to seek refuge with her older brother in the city of Kayes. Unfortunately, when Mariam got to Kayes she was totally disoriented. With no way of reaching her older brother, she decided to confide in her fellow travelers, who referred her to the local Center/Department for the Promotion of Women, Children and the Family, for care.

Upon her arrival at the center, she explained her situation and her need for assistance. As a result, the Center’s staff decided to manage her case. The USAID/NPI EXPAND Gender Focal Point, who works in collaboration with the center, was able to negotiate with Mariam’s family to help them understand that an early marriage would not be a good choice for Mariam and to allow her to continue her studies.

Thanks to this intervention given by the gender Focal Point, Mariam’s family understood the consequences of an early marriage and changed their attitude towards their daughter’s rights and their duty to protect her. They understood that Mariam’s place was at school, not in a home she had not chosen. The plan for an arranged marriage was cancelled, leaving her to pursue her dreams and study.

With the support of the NPI EXPAND’s project and the gender lead organization, IAMANEH, these One Stop Centers have been able to assist 124 survivors of gender-based violence and discrimination from November 2022 to September 2023. 60 women in the Kayes region and 64 in the Koulikoro region received support, care, and guidance to help them overcome the various forms of violence they had suffered and find the assistance they needed.