Women’s Empowerment, Marital Relations, and the Transformation of Polygyny in Sub-Saharan Africa

• In Event: 1248 - New Developments in Union Formation and Maintenance

Abstract

Polygynous marriage remains widespread in Sub-Saharan Africa even though its prevalence may be declining. Polygyny has been negatively associated with women’s and children’s health and well-being, and greater gender power inequalities within polygynous households are frequently cited as an explanation for this relationship. Using multiple rounds of data from the Demographic and Health Surveys, we investigate differences in women’s empowerment and marital egalitarianism by polygyny status and test whether these associations are changing over time. Preliminary results show that, in most countries, polygynous women have lower decision-making power, are less likely to use modern contraception, and are more likely to accept intimate partner violence. In countries where data on marital relations were collected, monogamous women reported more egalitarian relations with their husbands than polygynous women. Our findings will highlight the changing nature of polygyny in the context of its declining prevalence and the implications of these changes for women’s lives.

Authors

• Sophia Chae, University of Montreal

• Victor Agadjanian, University of California-Los Angeles