Why the rumours of forced polygamy in Eritrea can’t be further from the truth

Eritrean freedom fighters

Why the rumours of forced polygamy in Eritrea can’t be further from the truth

By Yohanna P. Teklu

In the past few days, articles of enforced polygamy in Eritrea have been circulating on social media with quite a number of people falling for this ruse. Quite rightly so if you are not familiar with Eritrea, where it is situated among countries that readily accept polygamy with some countries even indoctrinating it through their constitution.

Amid these rumours though, hell would have to freeze twice over before Eritrean women are subjected to forced polygamous marriages. In Eritrea, feminism was officially introduced back in 1970s by forming the National Union of Eritrean Women during the armed struggle. Its aim was to improve the status of Eritrean women and encouraging their participation in the war efforts. As a result, 30% of the freedom fighters composed of women, the highest in Africa.

After the independence, women are persuaded to be representatives in all aspects of governance, with 30% of the National Assembly seats exclusively reserved for women and at least one female judge in all of the 400 community courts. This persuasion of equality is also backed by the government and the legal system, which is inclusive in the new penal code which confirms that polygamy is not recognized by the law.

The slanderous accusations of the hardship of women in Eritrea has been floating around for quite some time with the obnoxious report of the Commission of Inquiry claiming the Eritrean legal system does not aid women who have been victimized and so forth. This article seems to be an extension of this deceptive allegation perpetrated to mislead the public from the factual reality on the ground.

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