Effects of Bride Price on Women's Rights Among the Bakiga in Kabale District: A Case Study of Kitumba Sub-County.
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Date
2021
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Publisher
Kabale University
Abstract
The study investigated the effects of bride price on women's rights among the Bakiga in the Kabale district. A case study of Kitumba sub-county. It was guided by the following objectives; to examine the reasons why the bride price is paid in Kitumba Sub County, to assess the effects of bride price on women's rights in Kitumba Sub County, and to establish measures aimed at reducing women's rights abuse in Kitumba Sub County.
The study used an exploratory and descriptive study design. Both qualitative and quantitative research methods were used in the study. The target population was the NGO's employees such as FOWODE, and FIDA. Also, married men and women will be considered. The study also included local council members, police units/stations, and other key people for more information that may be vital to the study, in Kitumba Sub County, Kabale district. A multi/cluster sampling procedure was used to select the sample of the study area. The study used simple sampling to choose respondents. A sample size of 100 respondents was selected. And this represented the population of abused women. The sample size consisted of 30 selected key informants from the two organizations dealing with women's rights, 10 police officers, and 10 local council officers, 30 married men and women were selected. Data collection Instruments included interview guides and questionnaires.
The researcher found out that there are many positive and negative impacts of payment of bride price to the process of traditional marriage namely; showing appreciation to the girl's parents, and showing one's intention to marry, it's a sign of moral consciousness to sexual morality, it's a sign of respect to parents, it's an opportunity to immerse wealth, it's a sign of respect and honor to the woman and it sustains culture. The research found out that many marriages have become unstable due to the aspect of bride price. Many marriages have realized domestic violence, abuse of women's rights, and women being reduced to being objects of domestic labor.
The researcher also found out that a significant number of respondents tie domestic violence to bride price; men butter their women because they paid for them. They deny them a chance to make any decisions because they are no bodies just goods bought from the market. This trend can deeply affect marriage stability. How the negative attitudes can be abated through revised procedures of this practice, massive sensitization, and having commissions like human rights commissions step in to discourage all sorts of abuse of human rights.
The researcher concluded that the respondents all support bride price as a cultural practice but with its related negative impacts on traditional marriages, they contend that there must be laws passed regulating payment of bride price and that it should not be restricted by the parents and guardians of the girl.
The researcher recommended that; the government should develop regulations that deal with payment of bride price, to avoid the aspect of women being reduced to being commodities of sale. There should be a legal price limitation that protects the human nature of women so that they are not treated as commodities. The government should also tighten laws on domestic violence that incriminate individuals found violating the Law. This would help to deter people found of beating their wives and reducing them into objects and not loving them as partners.
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Keywords
Effects, Bride Price, Women's Rights, Bakiga, Kabale District, Kitumba Sub-County
Citation
Asiimwe, Bettus (2021). Effects of Bride Price on Women's Rights Among the Bakiga in Kabale District: A Case Study of Kitumba Sub-County. Kabale: Kabale University.