Difret: Learning From A Story Of Child Marriage

Difret dramatises the true story of Aberash Bekele, Hirut Assefa, in the movie, a 14-yearold Ethiopian girl who falls victim to a rural tradition of abducting children for marriage. After escaping from her abductor, Hirut was charged with murder but acquitted after a twoyear trial. The title of the movie is very meaningful because in Amharic, the official working language of Ethiopia, difret means both rape and courage. In the movie, courage refers to the fearless behaviour of both Hirut, the first girl to respond to a deeply ingrained male-dominated social norm, and Meaza, the lawyer who volunteers to offer Hirut legal protection and advocate for bride kidnapping to become illegal in Ethiopia. Despite the legal changes, bride kidnapping is still a common practise in rural areas of Ethiopia, where patriarchal rules still apply. Child marriage is a violation of the basic rights of women and girls. This deeply entrenched practise not only perpetuates harmful gender stereotypes, but also has a profound and far-reaching impact on the overall well-being, productivity and economic independence of girls and women. These detrimental consequences extend throughout their lives, from childhood through adolescence and adulthood to the next generation through their children. Child marriage also has a significant economic impact on girls and the country as a whole. Early marriage hampers girls’ educational success, limiting their participation in productive sectors. Even when young brides manage to find education or employment, their opportunities are often hindered by domestic responsibilities, early pregnancies, related complications, maternal mortality and caring for the children of young mothers. The movie Difret is a powerful tool for promoting social change. It is a story of courage and resilience and has the potential to inspire people to take action against child marriage. In this chapter, we first tell the story, which unfolds in captivating and intense dialogue. We then propose an interpretation of the true story through the lens of a social scientist who endeavours to separate socio-cultural and economic factors that contribute to the persistence of child marriage. Finally, we ask what measures - either field programmes or other movie industry products - can be effective in ending illegal child marriage.