Developing a transformative human rights approach towards the practice of (girl) early marriage in Ethiopia

© 2017 Dr. Tayechalem Girma MogesThe practice of early marriage remains prevalent in Ethiopia despite the existence of legal barriers and many interventions from international and national human rights actors. The durability of traditional support for the practice has led to questions about the effectiveness of international human rights law in assisting change in local communities in Ethiopia. Moreover, child wives remain at the periphery of these efforts, as their role has been largely limited to providing stories of victimization. Drawing upon postcolonial and feminist perspectives, this research explores the transformative potential of international human rights law towards the practice of early marriage in Ethiopia from the perspectives of former child wives (now adult women)