President Paul Biya
By Mesumbe Nelly
A new law adopted in Parliament has made Customary( Traditional) Marriage officially legal. The new law now formalizes and secures customary marriages by requiring their declaration and transcription into civil records. Promulgated on December 23, 2024, the law gives customary (traditional) marriage, civil recognition. This raises the question of whether people will no longer be required to do the two.
Traditional marriage commonly known as the “Bride Price” will now be accompanied by issuance of a legal document.
Key Highlights on the new law include.
Protection from Multiple Dowries: A girl can no longer be dowered multiple times without having the first dowry annulled, ensuring her rights and dignity are respected.
Legal Recognition: Customary Marriages are now officially recognized, providing couples with the same rights and protections as those in civil marriages.
Members of parliament have appreciated the new law that recognizes and give added value to Cameroon’s culture.
“The new Law now makes Customary Marriage officially Legal and brings added value to our culture. A girl can no longer be dowered multiple times without having the first dowry annulled,” Hon. Nourane Foster of PCRN party notes on her twitter page.
This landmark legislation brings significant changes, particularly in the protection of women’s rights, she says.
According to legal experts, this development aims to integrate traditional practices into the legal framework, providing increased protection to couples married according to local custom.
The legislation now mandates the transcription of such unions into the Civil Status Registry, with the new law stipulating that “customary marriage is now equivalent to civil marriage.”
According to the provisions of this law, customary marriages must be declared to the civil registrar of the spouses’ place of birth, residence, or the location where the marriage was celebrated. This requirement ensures the official recognition of the union and guarantees the rights of the spouses.
Furthermore, the law specifies that a woman cannot be married under customary law more than once without the first marriage being annulled. This measure aims to prevent abuses and clarify individuals’ marital status, thereby strengthening the protection of women’s rights within customary unions.
Protecting Women’s Rights
In Cameroon’s social context, customary marriage is a tradition among most ethnic groups in the country. It has long been considered a foundation for blessing the union between two individuals. However, it remained in the background for years but this new legislation marks a historic turning point in the protection of women’s rights in Cameroon.
Until now, many wives traditionally married under customary rites found themselves in a precarious legal position, particularly concerning inheritance rights after their spouse’s death. The official recognition of traditional marriage fills a legal void that has long disadvantaged women married under customary law.
This legislative advance is expected to put an end to situations where widows were denied their inheritance rights due to the lack of legal recognition of their union
This reform is part of a broader effort to modernize Cameroonian law while preserving deeply rooted traditional values. It represents a compromise between modern legal standards and customary practices that still significantly influence social life in Cameroon.
