In South Sudan, over half of all girls are wed before their 18th birthday, making child marriage a significant issue in the country. Factors such as poverty, traditional practices, lack of access to Education, and limited legal protections are primarily responsible for the high rate of child marriages. That was the story of Mercy Akuot.
Like many girls in her country, at just 15 years old, Akuot was married off to her uncle by her biological parents. Her parent arranged her marriage to an older man without her consent, and it marked the beginning of a traumatic experience in her life.
Mercy Akuot, the marriage and escape
As a teenager, Mercy Akuot was informed by her Father that her schooling days were over. While her siblings and cousins were returning to school after the holidays, she was to get married to a 56-year-old man she knew as her uncle immediately. This tradition was wrong for Mercy, and she was determined to fight back.
“I don’t blame my parents. I blame the culture they were tied to. But that was THEIR culture, not mine.” – the Woman Right Activist, Akuot.
On their way to Uganda to drop her siblings off at school with her supposed uncle, they stopped at a hotel where the 15-year-old was set up.
“He called me to the other room after my mother had left and told me my mother had given him the right to do whatever he wanted with me. Then he hit my head with a gun. After that, I was sexually assaulted. I endured the pain for three days and had to pretend I had accepted. But deep down, I knew I had accepted nothing!” she narrated.
Akout narrated this incident to her mother’s friend across the street, who had hidden her for a month. She called a friend who sent her some money, which she used to cross the border. The teenager, scared and alone, left South Sudan in 2008 and initially got asylum in Uganda, where she stayed first in an orphanage and then with a loving family where she was able to continue her Education.
After her parents discovered her whereabouts in 2015, she moved to Kenya for fear of being taken back by her uncle. There, she was admitted as an immigrant to the Kakuma Refugee camp.
After successfully escaping her forced marriage, Akout feared no one. She became a dedicated activist, using her story to empower young girls and advocate against child marriage. She engages with grassroots organisations to educate communities on the physical and emotional harm of child marriage. So far, her work has reached refugee camps and community centres where she directly engages with at-risk young girls.
Mercy Akuot, the girlchild advocate
“I am now doing the kind of work I want to do. I lead a team of women who mentor young girls. We offer a safe space for them to discuss issues affecting them.”
In response to her activism within South Sudan and internationally, the issue of child marriage has received substantial attention. She has successfully influenced policy changes and contributed to the ongoing dialogue around girls’ rights – emphasising how necessary it is to eliminate these harmful traditional practices.
One way her efforts have contributed massively is in the South Sudanese government’s pledge to end child marriage as part of its commitment to the African Union’s campaign against early marriage.
Today, Mercy Akuot speaks out for millions of girls who face similar challenges and cannot speak up for themselves. She is raising awareness about the lives cut short by child marriage and fighting for change within and outside her community.
She has been honoured with numerous awards for her dedication to this cause. Her story has also been featured on global platforms advocating for human rights. She continues to be a loud voice in the fight against child marriage, inspiring a new generation of activists in Africa to be bold and audacious.
