Bridewealth Marriage in a Sub-Saharan Setting: Trends and Consequences for Women’s Well-being

• In Event: 381 - Section on the Sociology of the Family Refereed Roundtable Session and Business Meeting
  In Refereed Roundtable 60min: Table 02. Couple Relationships

Abstract

Bridewealth – payments from the groom’s family to the bride’s family as part of the marriage process – has historically been an important part of kinship and marriage systems in many parts of the world. In sub-Saharan Africa, bridewealth payment traditionally cements the role of extended family in marital bonds and men’s control of women’s productive and reproductive capacity. However, marriage is undergoing rapid transformation in the region, as women’s age at marriage increases and arranged marriages become less common. Some evidence suggests that bridewealth payments are also becoming less common, but little systematic research describes change over time. In this paper, we draw on population-based survey data from Mozambique to examine trends over several decades in bridewealth-based marriage and to analyze the association between bridewealth payments and selected markers of women’s economic, relationship, and reproductive well-being. Results show that the proportion of marriages involving bridewealth payment has declined over time. Women in bridewealth-based marriages are less likely to work outside subsistence agriculture and to report spousal violence. At the same time, no association between bridewealth payment and contraceptive use is detected. These findings are related to broader multifaceted changes in marriage systems, gender relations, and population dynamics in sub-Saharan societies.

Authors

• Sophia Chae, Guttmacher Institute

• Victor Agadjanian, University of Kansas

• Sarah R. Hayford, Ohio State University