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Mauritanian Girls Force-Fed for Marriage

'Torture' returns as ideal of large women makes a comeback

By Katherine Thompson,  Newser Staff

Posted Mar 1, 2009 4:00 PM CST

(Newser) – A military coup in Mauritania has erased years of advances in women's rights, bringing a resurgence of the practice of force-fattening young girls to prepare them for marriage, the Guardian reports. "A woman's size indicates the amount of space she occupies in her husband's heart," explains an activist, who says the traditions will be hard to break.

The cultural significance of a woman's weight as a symbol of her husband's wealth and power goes back centuries in Mauritania and its west-African neighbors. Girls as young as five are stuffed with grains and butter—and forced to drink their own vomit if they can't keep the food down. Many Mauritanians claim the practice no longer exists.

Woman working in the local fishing market walk past near the local fishing port situated on the outskirts of the city of Nouakchott, Mauritania, Saturday, Aug. 9, 2008.
Woman working in the local fishing market walk past near the local fishing port situated on the outskirts of the city of Nouakchott, Mauritania, Saturday, Aug. 9, 2008.   (AP Photo/Candace Feit)
Local people look for goods at a market place in the city of Nouakchott, Mauritania. Since a coup last August, old practices are again taking hold, and women's rights may be eroding.
Local people look for goods at a market place in the city of Nouakchott, Mauritania. Since a coup last August, old practices are again taking hold, and women's rights may be eroding.   (AP Photo/Candace Feit)
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We had female diplomats and governors. The military have set us back by decades, sending us back to our traditional roles. We no longer even have a ministry to talk to. - Aminetou Mint Ely, a woman's rights campaigner in Mauritania

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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 8 comments
Guest
Mar 3, 2009 8:37 PM CST
Not so. What is "less evolved" about consuming body parts of albinos to attain wealth, or having sex with a baby to cure AIDS?
HappyHabenero
Mar 2, 2009 9:32 PM CST
drink their own vomit?????? AAAAWWWWWW HELL NO.....This stuff is as sick as shariya law.........attention ladies....those sick bastards have to sleep sometimes...make sure they don't wake up
Guest
Mar 2, 2009 4:45 AM CST
Man began in violence. He's just now learning to talk instead of kill.

Rural women say fattening necessary to find husbands
Magharebia

African Union one solution to juntas
African Press Organization

Slavery is another problem in Mauritania
Magharebia

 
obesity • Africa • women's rights • Mauritania • forced marriage • ancient customs • force feeding

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