Aweil community urged to review and increase dowry to reflect post-war reality

Aweil daughter Sarah James Dut has publicly called on traditional leaders to review and increase the current dowry system, arguing that the low bride price practiced today no longer reflects present realities.

According to Dut, the reduced dowry was a temporary measure agreed upon in the 1990s during the Sudan and South Sudan wars, a period when many families had lost their cattle. At the time, chiefs lowered the bride price to ensure that young men could still marry and form families despite the hardships of war.

She noted that while the decision was appropriate then, the conditions that justified it no longer exist. “Today, many of our sons own cattle. Some of the same men who pay between 100 and 150 cows when marrying in other communities return to Aweil and pay as few as 11 to 15 cows,” she said, describing the practice as unfair and exploitative.

Dut warned that maintaining such a low dowry has serious social consequences, including the undervaluing of Aweil daughters, loss of respect for families, and mistreatment of women from the community by others who perceive Aweil as a “cheap” marriage destination. She added that the low bride price encourages men from other communities to marry in Aweil primarily because it is less costly.

She has therefore appealed to the chiefs of Aweil to reconvene and reassess the dowry system, just as leaders did during the war. “If tradition could be adjusted to protect us during conflict, it can also be adjusted in peace to restore dignity and fairness,” she said.

“Tradition must evolve with time. What protected us during war should not weaken us during peace,” Dut emphasized.