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Friday, April 13, 2012

Ten-Year-Old Wayuu Girl Becomes a Mother!

It sounds strange and almost unbelievable! If it were not for the news and video coverage, I might not have believed such a story: a 10-year old ethnic Wayuu girl in Columbia delivered a baby by Caesarian section!

According to the report, the girl and her family did not know that she was pregnant. They rushed her to the hospital because of the pain she was experiencing. To their great surprise, the doctors said she was about to give birth. It must have been shocking news! Reports say that the parents refuse to talk to media because of shame.


I wonder how she got pregnant and why she did not know. Was it in their culture to get married early? I tried to look for information about the Wayuu people of Colombia. Here is what I found out: “Nearly all marriages are arranged and accompanied by a dowry. Young girls are promised to men of the clan as young as 10–12 years old, right around the time they are becoming of childbearing age. The perceived intention is to wed her to a man before risking that she become pregnant out of wedlock or arrangement, an act that is of great social shame for the Wayuu, and specifically for the woman's family's honor and credibility.” (Wikipedia)

In Colombian law, sexual relations with a girl under 14 years old are punishable by nine years imprisonment at the very least. Colombian authorities could not file charges to the 15-year-old father of the Wayuu baby because he remains unidentified and since Wayuu people follow their own judicial system when it comes to matters like this.

What's troubling is that the girl does not seem to understand everything that's happening to her! I hope she can cope up to her new responsibilities as a new mother even in her very delicate and young age.

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