Aristotle once said, “No great mind has ever existed without a touch of madness.”

Perhaps this could explain the crazy traditions that we have in the name of culture.

The range of these traditions go from something as harmless as dumping cinnamon powder on single 25 year olds to throwing newborn babies off a 50 ft tall temple.

The point is every group of people around the world have cultures and traditions of their own. 

However, when do we draw a line and say that something needs to stop? 

In West Africa, there is an ancient tradition that is still practiced to this day, primarily in the country of Mauritania. 

Girls not Brides, a global organization against child marriage states, leblouh is the force-feeding of girls from the age range of 5 to 19 for the sole purpose of getting them married as soon as possible. 

The leblouh diet consists of camel’s milk, pounded millet and butter; this diet forces them to take up to 8 times the recommended amount of calories for their age. Not to mention, there are also “traditional” punishments that the girls face if they refuse to eat.

Zayar - A traditional punishment for the refusal to eat; it is done by squeezing the toes of one foot in between two sticks as shown in the picture above.

Leblouh wouldn’t be a huge problem if it was not cemented into culture however, it is cemented into culture thus, it is a problem.

A big problem.

To get a good view of well integrated leblouh is in West African culture, let me tell you three things .

• One, leblouh has a system, it is practiced in camps called ‘fattening camps’ and is done by women who do it as their career, a career as a force-feeder.
• Two, families willingly take their daughters to these camps with the hopes of getting them married off. Kjadigetou Elwen says, “She will become fat quickly and will be able to wear adult female clothes,” referring to her 3 year old daughter who is already in the process of leblouh. Moreover, M’Baye, a child rights lawyer in Mauritania revealed, “Their goal is to make them look 30 at the age of 15," referring to the workers of the 'fattening camps'.
• Three, people are very proud of this practice being in their culture. One lady who runs a ‘fattening camp’ explains the process of leblouh, “This is how we do it. We force her to drink milk all day long. We don’t give her any breaks.”

By definition, culture is the arts and other manifestations of human intellectual achievement regarded collectively.

And human rights by definition are rights that are believed to belong justifiably to every person.

Nevertheless, just because something is culture and tradition from history, does not mean it is good and should be practiced continually. Especially not when they stand in the way of basic human rights.

I mean ask yourself, what is the benefit of letting this brutal practice continue?

Leblouh withholds the rights of girls to a childhood.

Leblouh withholds the rights of girls to education.

Leblouh allows young girls to be physically tortured, force-fed and beaten.

Why should we not do something to stop this?

My name is Roshmita Tamang, I am 17 years old and I am worn out by the social injustices that go around in our world.

Whether it is people being put in concentration camps in China for their religion or people being left out on the right to have clean drinking water accessible to them or Iranian soccer players crying after losing in the world cup as they know they are going to be punished (for losing) once they get back home.

Social injustices are all over the world, happening 24/7 and 3.6.5.

It is due time for change.

Mahatma Gandhi once said, “Be the change that you want to see in the world."

So here I am to make aware of this cruel practice and start change.

What will you do to make a change?

 

Here is a short documentary detailing the culture of leblouh.