Youth activists speak during a Roundtable Discussion moderated by Eye Radio in Juba. (Photo: Eye Radio).

South Sudanese youth activists are calling on the government and traditional authorities to enforce laws to regulate bride price in the country.

Also known as dowry, bride price is the payment of wealth in the form of cattle, money and gifts from the groom to the family of bride as a customary requirement for marriage.

It is a vital part of the marriage process and reinforces community ties, researchers have found that high dowry price in South Sudan leads to detrimental consequences such as child marriage, forced marriage and cattle rustling.

Dowry is also said to be a burden on many families, with some men taking loans and others going on cattle rustling to marry the woman of their choice.

Bush Buse, the Program Coordinator of Whitaker for Peace and Development Initiative, appeals for lower bride prices among South Sudanese communities.

Mr. Buse, also a youth activist encouraged South Sudanese traditional leaders to stick to the traditional way of dowry payment through livestock and farming tools.

“I urge South Sudanese to stick to their customary laws and avoid copying and pasting from outside. Paying like bids, traditionally bids like a hoe. At least these are our resources,” he said.

On her part, Animu Athiei, a Women and Peace Advocate, said the government has a role to play in pushing regulations and enforcement around marriage.

She said it is also important to amplify best practices and end the stigma around marriage and divorce.

“In South Sudan, we are not amplifying best practices enough that marriage is not the end of it all, and sometimes it does not work,” she said.

“The other thing is around regulations and enforcement. I think that state actors have a key role to play in pushing regulations on issues related to marriage.”

A recent study by Conflict Sensitivity Resource Facility revealed that Bari, Nuer, Murle, and Dinka communities in South Sudan have the highest bride prices in the country, averaging at 400 US dollars per head of cattle.

The report explores the practice of bride prices in South Sudan and its related social, economic, and political implications on gender relations and violent conflict.

The report suggests that the bride price appears to contribute to gender-based violence and violent conflict in the country.

Yoal Gatkuoth, the Founder of Pan African Peacemakers Alliance emphasized the importance of community awareness in addressing issues of high bride price.

“I think the only problem that I witnessed is the law enforcement. We have beautiful policies but we are not implementing them and it goes back to all of us as the community and society and second to that there is a need for community education or community awareness on these issues.”

Duot Deng, a lawyer and legal practitioner said he believes pride, ambitions, and responsibility are some of the reasons hindering young people from marriage.

He added the rate of divorce in the country is alarming and high dowry is a contributing factor.

“The reason why people are not getting married is the issue of bride price. Young people do not want to go through back door. They want to be on the surface. Again, a lot of us are not considering responsibility because although marriage can be done by the family, the question is going to feed your children.”