Mifumi is a leading women’s rights and development agency with
a large constituency of grassroots women’s organisations. We run
an integrated Domestic Violence intervention programme that encompasses
provision of services, protection of women and the prevention of violence
through public education.
On the 22nd of December last year, the people
of Tororo, Uganda held a referendum on the reform of Bride Price,
following a two-year campaign process organised by the Mifumi Project.
The question was whether Bride Price should become a non-refundable
gift. The referendum was won with 60% in favour of reform. The need
for this intervention arose out of our work with women, which highlighted
the fact, that Bride Price is a major contributing factor to Domestic
Violence and poverty.
Bride Price is the cultural practice of
paying for the bride with cows. The practice requires that the cows
be refunded if a marriage breaks down. This often ties women to abusive
relationships because they cannot afford the refund. The practice
also reduces women and girls to the status of chattel or property
and leaves them open to Domestic Violence and abuse with far reaching
social, economic and human rights implications.
Since the referendum, the Mifumi Project has seen changes in attitudes
of the people of the region about Bride Price. For one thing, the
referendum sparked off a healthy debate on the practice of Bride Price
both by those for and against reform. Radio discussions and newspaper
articles have recorded voices demanding an end to Bride Price from
various parts of Uganda. Local people have begun to experiment with
alternative forms of marriage appreciation such as allowing the new
couple to use the gifts to start their new home. It is clear that
the issue of Bride Price has reached a turning curve and there can
be no turning back to a practice that is now highly commercialised,
having lost all its cultural values of protecting women.
The campaign and referendum raised public consciousness raised about
the negative impact that Bride Price has on different categories of
society including the following:
- The promise of Bride Price encourages parents to
force young girls out of school in order to be married off for Bride
Price. This discriminates against girls in education.
- Many young couples begin their married life poorer,
with the groom having paid the little income he had on Bride Price.
This contributes to poverty and Domestic Violence.
- Many young men who cannot afford Bride Price simply
co-habit. This makes them forfeit many rights and entitlements,
which can be particularly detrimental for already disadvantaged
and vulnerable women.
- Many parents often sell their land, a vital resource,
to refund Bride Price.
- Bride Price reduces women to the status of chattel
or property and exposes them to all sorts of abuse, widow inheritance
and the risk of HIV infection.
Following the successful results, the Mifumi Project made comprehensive
presentations of the issues to several law making bodies in Uganda
including the parliament, the Ministries of Justice and constitutional
affairs, The ministry of Gender and Social Welfare, Ministry of Education,
the law reform commission, the constitutional review committees, the
human rights commission and NGOs working in the field of human rights.
We are continuing our campaign and our challenges are two fold:
- To translate the successful referendum verdict
into meaningful legislation for all who are affected and
- Secondly, to institutionalise the practice of
NOT REFUNDING Bride Price
Even where laws exist, the day-to-day experience for many is different.
Despite the fact that there is no law providing for the refund of
Bride Price (a local byelaw only sets a limit), parents still get
arrested and punished for not refunding Bride Price.
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"She becomes in effect like the man's property
and he can treat her in any way he likes"
"Bride Price reduces women to the status of chattel
or property"
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