On Criminalising Polygamy
Posted by Yusuf Abdallah Mdala on Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Under: Society
The press nowadays is funny. Articles about controversial issues seem to refuse to die. A few months ago, it was about quota system, then whether to legalise marriage at age sixteen or not, and then modification of the national flag; then it was polygamy, a form of marriage in which a person has more than one mate. The practice of polygamy includes polyandry, or marriage with more than one husband, as well as polygyny, the specific term for marriage with more than one wife.
Although it is practiced in some parts of the world such as the Malabar Coast of India and Tibet, polyandry is prohibited by law in most countries. While some people may argue that most societies are oppressive against women for not permitting them to be polyandrous when their male counterparts can be polygynous, I would ask them to imagine a case in which a polyandrist becomes pregnant. Which husband would be responsible for the pregnancy? In case where the polyandrist knows the owner of the pregnancy, would the other man or men accept if they wanted a baby too?
Polygyny has been widely practiced at various times in many societies throughout the world, and it is still common in Muslim countries and most parts of Africa including Malawi. Usually only the rich and powerful men have maintained polygynous families, while the majority of the people have lived in monogamous relations. Although uncommon in most countries, polygyny is legal under Islamic law and in some African nations.
There are certain circumstances which warrant polygyny. For example, statistically, women outnumber men in most societies. In some parts like Cape Town, the ratio of women to men is even ten to one. Demographers have always told us that, everywhere in the world, infant mortality rates among males are higher as compared to that of females; that the average life span of females are generally longer; and that more men die during accidents and diseases than women. Like any other human being, these surplus women would love to be married and treated with honour than to be mistresses who have no legal rights or social respect. They would love to have a husband who would be obliged by law to provide for them and their children, not a “boyfriend” who may one day cast her aside or deny her if they are pregnant.
Some people have argued that all Christian denominations have preached against polygamy. To my surprise, none of these people has ever shown me the limit of the number of wives in the Bible. The Old Testament of the Bible describes the practice of polygyny among the ancient Hebrews like Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, King David and King Solomon.
Others have promoted the idea of criminalising polygamy in Malawi claiming the practice encourages violence against women. But should we say that the widespread maltreatment of women in some monogamous unions is not conspicuous enough for these people to see? What about the mistresses that are being dumped for no apparent reason?
I, therefore, find it unjust for someone to say polygyny should become a criminal offence punishable by law while others remain unpunished when they are or are not married but have more than one illicit relationship, and ironically, permitting prostitution in the course.
Although it is practiced in some parts of the world such as the Malabar Coast of India and Tibet, polyandry is prohibited by law in most countries. While some people may argue that most societies are oppressive against women for not permitting them to be polyandrous when their male counterparts can be polygynous, I would ask them to imagine a case in which a polyandrist becomes pregnant. Which husband would be responsible for the pregnancy? In case where the polyandrist knows the owner of the pregnancy, would the other man or men accept if they wanted a baby too?
Polygyny has been widely practiced at various times in many societies throughout the world, and it is still common in Muslim countries and most parts of Africa including Malawi. Usually only the rich and powerful men have maintained polygynous families, while the majority of the people have lived in monogamous relations. Although uncommon in most countries, polygyny is legal under Islamic law and in some African nations.
There are certain circumstances which warrant polygyny. For example, statistically, women outnumber men in most societies. In some parts like Cape Town, the ratio of women to men is even ten to one. Demographers have always told us that, everywhere in the world, infant mortality rates among males are higher as compared to that of females; that the average life span of females are generally longer; and that more men die during accidents and diseases than women. Like any other human being, these surplus women would love to be married and treated with honour than to be mistresses who have no legal rights or social respect. They would love to have a husband who would be obliged by law to provide for them and their children, not a “boyfriend” who may one day cast her aside or deny her if they are pregnant.
Some people have argued that all Christian denominations have preached against polygamy. To my surprise, none of these people has ever shown me the limit of the number of wives in the Bible. The Old Testament of the Bible describes the practice of polygyny among the ancient Hebrews like Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, King David and King Solomon.
Others have promoted the idea of criminalising polygamy in Malawi claiming the practice encourages violence against women. But should we say that the widespread maltreatment of women in some monogamous unions is not conspicuous enough for these people to see? What about the mistresses that are being dumped for no apparent reason?
I, therefore, find it unjust for someone to say polygyny should become a criminal offence punishable by law while others remain unpunished when they are or are not married but have more than one illicit relationship, and ironically, permitting prostitution in the course.
In : Society