Balkissa Chaibou. (1995-...)

At the age of 12, this Nigerian girl was very clear that she wanted tu pursue her dream of studying medicine. However, her parents had another very different future planned for her : to forceher to marry her cousin . Chaibou rebelled and decied to fight for her rights, becoming one of the few women in Nigeria who have maneged to escape the forced mariage .

THE REASON.

Nigeria is the African country in which more cases of forced marrige occur : 17 % of girls get married before they turn 15 years old and 43 % before 18 years old, acord to UNICEF's repord .It is a solution to avoid feeding one more child in poor and numerous families. In the case of Balkissa's family, her parents had five daughters, somarrying one of theme to her cousin could solve their situation, something that made snes to them. However, the economy is not the only motive that drives Nigerian families to trace this type of links, they also belive that, in this way, the risk of extramaritital pregnancy is reduced .

HISTORY

« I came back from school at 18:00 in the afternoon and my mother call me » , said Balkissa in the intervew. « We have visit » said the mother, and she said me « He is going to marry with you » I tought she was joking, but she said :  « Wash your hair ». In this moment I knew it was true.

Married with her cousin made her dreams imposible. « When I was young, my dream was to be a doctor, helped the people, wore a white bluse , they told me that when I'm married I couldn't study more, I knew that the realation will never work. »

In this situation, Balkissa focused on gettingthe best marks, woke up at 3:00 in the morning to study. It was a way to avoid thinking about that alredy arranged marriage that was coming little by little . One day, when the girl was 16 years old, her dowry, suitcases and wedding dress arrived at her house. The wedding was imminent. « It broke my heart, it hurt a lot,I tried to fight and fulfill my dreams, but these people hindered my progress ». Then he gathered the courage to escape from that situation. Her mother understood that she refused to marry, but she didn't have the status or the means to help her. As a last resort, she tried to convince her father, telling her that she would marry two condition : seeing her husband only during the holidays and beig able to finish his hight school studies . However, it didn't work. Balkissa's father did not dare to contradict his oldet brothe, the father of the futur husband of the girl, because it goes against the Tuareg principales, the tribe to wich they belong.

THE LAST HOPE OF BALKISSA

The young woman asks for help from Moumouni Harouna, the director of her school. She sent her to the Center for Judicial Assistance and Civil Action, who finally took legal action against Balkissa's father and uncle.

During the trial, Balkissa's uncle denied the accusation and said that everything had been misunderstood, so the case was closed. When Balkissa's uncle came home he tried to kill her. «He told me that I would get married, that I would go with him even if it had to be wrapped in a body bag,» says the girl, who had to hide in the women's shelter.

Everything ends well: after spending a week there, she returned home and her family completely refused to marry her. She was able to return to school and continue her studies. Now Balkissa is 19 years old and she also campaingns for other young girls to follow her exemple and say 'no' to forced marriage.

My advice is to fight and study with all your might. It's not easy but it's your only hope.