Audio By Carbonatix
People who refuse a marriage proposal in Mangalmé in north-eastern Chad must now pay a fine, known as "amchilini".
The region's Higher Islamic Council ruled that the figure be between $23 (£18) and $39 for women and $15 for men.
The Chadian Women's Rights League has launched the hashtag #StopAmchilini to denounce the decision, saying it is illegal as it violates a national law guaranteeing freedom of consent to marriage.
The Islamic Council says its decision was inspired by the Quran.
Forced marriages are prevalent in Chad, with young under-age girls the usual victims.
Despite a law passed in 2015 that prohibits child marriages, 60% of women aged between 20 and 24 were married when they were still children, according to figures from Chad's Institute of Statistics.
Latest Stories
-
UMB becomes first bank approved by BoG and SEC to offer virtual accounts
5 minutes -
Maximus Attah writes: Vacancies that never hire
21 minutes -
‘When the time comes, I will speak’ – Kurt on third-term GFA presidential bid
51 minutes -
UMB S.P.E.E.D. Stars lift Bankers Football Gala trophy
1 hour -
MMFL makes strong showing at JoySports Invitational 2026
1 hour -
MTN Media Republic, Ghana Wildlife Society embark on bird, butterfly walk
1 hour -
Fuel Prices: Star Oil holds petrol at GH¢14.97, raises diesel to GH¢16.97
2 hours -
DR Congo Ebola outbreak surges past 6000 cases as death toll nears 3000
2 hours -
Telecel Ghana CEO urges mining industry to build agile people for tech-driven future
2 hours -
Ghana Digital Centres’ loss nearly triples to GH¢6.06m as revenue falls
2 hours -
The private school teacher crisis: A silent exodus
2 hours -
NPC Ghana congratulates Farida Iddriss on Africa Aquatics Zone II leadership role
2 hours -
Zanetor pledges to protect Ghana’s natural resources for future generations
2 hours -
2024 defeat was due to demoralised base, poor preparation – Boakye Agyarko
2 hours -
Ghana welcomes UN report backing reparations for transatlantic slavery
2 hours