Zambia: Marriage: Information about a tradition of arranged and/or forced marriages in Zambia. Extent to which marriages are arranged and whether this is peculiar to a particular social group, the consequences for a woman, and the social impact of a refusal to proceed with the marriage
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 1 March 1991 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | ZMB7675 |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Zambia: Marriage: Information about a tradition of arranged and/or forced marriages in Zambia. Extent to which marriages are arranged and whether this is peculiar to a particular social group, the consequences for a woman, and the social impact of a refusal to proceed with the marriage, 1 March 1991, ZMB7675, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6ab9968.html [accessed 20 May 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
Specific information about arranged and/or forced marriages in Zambia is currently unavailable to the IRBDC. However, the literature available indicates that there is a practice, reportedly widespread in Zambia whereby "when your husband or wife dies, his or her spirits with you. The disposing of the spirit can only be done through intimate contact with a relative of your spouse (The Washington Post, 3 July 1987). Because of the spread of AIDS, there have been attempts to change this practice but "these efforts have provoked a backlash from some traditionalists". This information is corroborated by an article that was published in The New York Times (17 September 1990). The articles are hereby attached for your reference.
Attachments
The New York Times [New York]. 17 September 1990. "AIDS Tears Lives of the African Family".
The Washington Post. [Washington]. "Tribal Customs Worsen the Spread of AIDS in Zambia".
