EXPLORING THE CAUSES (20 MIN)
Give the ball of wool or string to one of the participants. Instruct him/her to hold onto the end of the wool. Ask the participant: why is she in this situation?
After the participant gives an answer, he/she keeps hold of the end of the wool, says the name of another participant, and throws the ball of wool to him or her. That person names another cause, and, holding on to the wool, throws the ball to a new participant.
As the group gives causes, prompt the participants to be more specific by asking them follow-up questions, such as:
- What is the role of the father?
- What does the law say about early marriage and women’s rights?
- Are religious leaders involved?
It is important that the causes become really concrete and specific. Statements should also be questioned sometimes if, for example, participants give reasons such as the parents thinking that the girl is not paying enough attention to her studies. Ask:
- Is that really a cause or just an excuse?
These follow-up questions help the participants to explore a range of immediate and more long-term causes, as well as different actors involved. They encourage participants to reflect more deeply on the issue and uncover structural causes, including religious and/or societal norms and family/personal status laws or laws relating to FORB.
The activity continues in the same way until all participants have given at least one cause. As the ball is thrown and causes are named, a web is formed, trapping the girl. Pause the exercise at this point.
QUICK PLENARY DISCUSSION (5 MIN)
Invite two or three participants to share their reflections. Ask:
- How does it feel to see the girl trapped in this situation?
EXPLORING PREVENTIVE ACTIONS (20 MIN)
Hand the scissors to the last participant who gave a cause. Ask:
- What could we do, to prevent this girl from being married or to prevent this from happening again to other girls?
Once the participant has named a preventive action, h/she cuts the string that they are holding on to and hands the scissors to the next person in the ring.
Remind participants that actions need to be taken immediately and over the long term. Ask follow-up questions to make sure that the actions are specific and concrete, and to broaden the range of preventive actions to include work with religious leaders and changing societal norms, as well as legal remedies and advocacy with duty-bearers.
Ask:
- Who has a responsibility to do that?
- How can we convince them to fulfil that responsibility?
- Who is influential and could help to bring about that change?
Continue until all participants have named a specific preventive action and cut up the net, freeing the person in the middle. If the person in the middle is a participant who volunteered to take on the role, invite them to share their reflections:
- How was this experience for you?
- Which of the preventive actions did you favour?
- Was there anything you would have liked the participants to do differently?
