UN rights committee calls on Namibia to ban bride price

A report compiled by the United Nations Human Rights Committee on Namibia has called on the government to consider banning the practice of paying bride price.

In most African cultures, paying bride price to the family of the woman is a sign of gratitude and commitment.

The findings in the report that was released Wednesday come ahead of Namibia's implementation of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

The report recommends that Namibia should include the ban on bride price in its bill on the Recognition of Customary Marriages.

It further said Namibia should also move swiftly to make sure that customary marriages are registered to avoid denying women and children from such marriages privileges and rights to inheritance.

In addition, the human rights reports implores with Namibia to stop men from demanding back bride prices from their ex-wives' families when they divorce.

Responding to the report, Namibia's Justice minister Albert Kawana dismissed the report, describing the price of paying bride price as a demonstration of love.

"It is like the wedding band in marriage. It cannot be done away with but can only be regulated," he said.

Kawana said it is cheaper to pay bride price than buying a wedding ring and that Namibia was planning to introduce a bill to deal with other problems that emanate from customary marriages raised in the report.

According to Kawana, customary marriages are recognized in Namibia since these are performed by traditional leaders. Endit