In Mangalmé, northeastern Chad, those who reject a marriage proposal now have to pay an “amchilini” fine. The amount was determined to be between $23 (£18) and $39 for women and $15 for males by the Higher Islamic Council of the area.
The Islamic Council claims that the Quran was the source of its decision. Young underage girls are frequently the victims of forced marriages in Chad.
What’s happening now
- The #StopAmchilini campaign was started by the Chadian Women’s Rights League to protest the decision, which it claims is illegal since it goes against a national statute that protects the right to freely consent to marriage.
- According to data from the Chadian Institute of Statistics, 60 percent of women between the ages of 20 and 24 were married while still children, despite a legislation banning child weddings that was implemented in 2015.
- Chad has the third highest prevalence of child marriages in the world