Governance challenges to women’s realisation of the right to sexual and reproductive health: the case of women in polygamous marriages in Uganda

Abstract

The study investigated the challenges to the realization of the right to sexual and reproductive health of women in polygamous marriages in Uganda. It aimed to investigate the policy challenges to the realization of the right to sexual and reproductive health of women in polygamous marriages in Uganda. The emphasis of this study was to investigate from the multitude of these risks, the sexual reproductive health rights of the female partners of polygamous marriages. The study was conducted in Arua, Buikwe, Gomba, Jinja, Mayuge, Namayingo and Iganga districts of Uganda. It concentrated on the realization of sexual reproductive rights in Uganda. The study employed a case study design where qualitative approaches were adopted. Data was collected using surveys, interviews and focus group discussion. Data was analysed using content thematic analysis. The findings revealed that the effect of polygamous relationships have serious reproductive and /or health consequences for women. The analysis of the realization of   sexual reproductive rights in Uganda was based on family planning, HIV/Aids concerns, quality of maternal health care, battering, mental health, emotional stress. After an analysis of the findings, the researcher made quite a number of recommendations among which; decision and policy makers should consider prefacing laws prohibiting polygamy with the international legal obligations, as well as policy arguments, requiring states to modify such practices.