Accra, Ghana – (African Boulevard News) – Ghanaian artist Awanle Ayiboro Hawa Ali has made it her mission to fight against forced child marriages through her art. Awanle, who is also a painter, is a survivor of child marriage herself having escaped her intended husband at the age of 13.
“At the age of 13, my mother wanted to give me to a man who could have been my father, I refused,” Awanle said in a recent interview. “I was lucky enough to escape that fate, but many girls in my community were not.”
Now, at the age of 26, Awanle is using her artistic talents to bring awareness to the issue of child marriage through her series of paintings titled “The Blue Girls”. The paintings depict the struggles and challenges faced by young girls who are forced into marriage against their will.
“I chose the color blue because it represents sadness and despair,” Awanle explained. “I wanted to show the pain and suffering that these girls go through.”
Each painting in the series tells a story of a young girl and her journey through forced marriage. The paintings are accompanied by a short written piece which tells the story in more detail.
The Blue Girls series has gained international recognition and has been featured in galleries across the world, bringing more attention to the issue of child marriage in Ghana and other African countries.
According to UNICEF, more than one in three girls in developing countries are married before the age of 18, and one in nine are married before they turn 15. Child marriage not only robs young girls of their childhood but also leads to increased health risks, limited education opportunities, and perpetuates poverty.
Awanle’s art is not only a representation of her personal fight against child marriage but also a call to action for governments and organizations to address the issue. She hopes her work will inspire change and bring an end to forced child marriages.
“I want the world to see the pain and suffering that these girls go through,” Awanle said. “I want people to know that this is not okay, and we need to do something about it.”
Awanle’s dedication and passion to ending child marriage through her art is inspiring and reminds us of the power of the arts to provoke change. It is imperative that more attention is brought to this issue, and we must all do our part to ensure young girls are able to live their lives free from the constraints of forced marriages.
