Marriage history, early union, and domestic violence: Understanding women’s entry into polygynous marriages in Somalia

Abdirahman S. Mohamed, Mustafa H. Dahir

Abstract

Polygyny shaped by cultural and religious norms is prevalent among Somalis. Systematic research on polygyny is scant. This study, therefore, examines the prevalence and determinants of polygyny among Somali women. The study draws on a pooled sample of 10,601 ever-married women from the 2006 and 2011 Somali Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys. Descriptive statistics and multivariable binary logistic regression were utilized. Overall, about 20% of the women were in polygynous marriages, a proportion was higher among women with more children. Being in a polygynous marriage was also associated with early marriage, remarriage, being married to older husbands, and rural residence. Women from Somaliland were less likely to be in polygynous marriages compared to those from other parts of Somalia. Nonetheless, justifying domestic violence was not associated with being in a polygynous marriage. There is a call for the promotion of empowerment of women and investigations into the lived, psychological, and socioeconomic consequences of polygyny among Somali women.

Full Text:

PDF

References

Ember M, Ember CR and Low BS. Comparing explanations

of polygyny. Cross-Cult Res. 2007;41(4):428-440.

https://doi.org/10.1177/1069397107307672

Brooks T. The Problem with Polygamy. Philos. Top.

;37(2).

https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315251240

Hayase Y and Liaw KL. Factors on polygamy in sub-Saharan

Africa: findings based on the Demographic and

Health Surveys. Dev Econ. 1997;35(3):293–327.

https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1746-1049.1997.tb00849.x 4. Ahinkorah BO. Polygyny and intimate partner violence in

sub-Saharan Africa: Evidence from 16 cross

sectional demographic and health surveys. SSM

Popul

Health.

;13.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssmph.2021.100729

Chae S and Agadjanian V. The Transformation of Polygyny

in

Sub-Saharan Africa. Popul Dev Rev.

;48(4):1125-1162.

https://doi.org/10.1111/padr.12524

Timæus IM and Reynar A. Polygynists and Their Wives in

Sub-Saharan Africa: An Analysis of Five

Demographic and Health Surveys. Popul Stud (NY).

;52(2):145-162.

https://doi.org/10.1080/0032472031000150346

Boserup E, Kanji N, Tan SF and Toulmin C. Woman's Role

in Economic Development. London: Earthscan;

Omer Y. Sh. The state of marriage in Somalia, Djibouti, and

Comoros. In: Aref Ahmed, Rahman Md M., eds. The

Handbook of Marriage in the Arab World. Vol 17. ;

:217-262.

Al-Sharmani M. Politics and Ethics of Marriage and Family

Life among Transnational Somali Diasporas.

Bildhaan.

;16(1).

https://digitalcommons.macalester.edu/cgi/viewcont

ent.cgi?article=1183&context=bildhaan

Cassanelli LV. The Shaping of Somali Society:

Reconstructing the History of a Pastoral People,

-1900. University of Pennsylvania Press; 1982.

Landinfo – Norwegian Country of Origin Information

Centre. Somalia: Marriage and Divorce. Published

June

,

https://landinfo.no/wp

content/uploads/2018/09/Report-Somalia-Marriage

and-divorce-14062018-2.pdf [Accessed January 12,

Ahmed S. Musse. Traditions of marriage and the

household. In: Judith Gardner, Judy El Bushra, eds.

Somalia: The Untold Story of the War through the

Eyes of Somali Women. CIIR and Pluto; 2004:51-68.

https://www.africabib.org/rec.php?RID=W0006474

Lewis IM. Peoples of the Horn of Africa. HAAN Associates

for the International African Institute; 1994.

Ntiri DW. Female Education in Somalia: A Survey to

Assess the Situation and Needs of Women.; 1987.

Johnson NE and Elmi AM. Polygamy and fertility in

Somalia. J Biosoc Sci. 1989 Apr;21(2):127-34.

https://doi.org/10.1017/S002193200001782X

Tsui AO, Ragsdale TA and Shirwa AI. The settlement of

Somali nomads. Genus. 1991;47(1-2):131-152.

Available at: http://www.jstor.org/stable/29789048

[accessed 25 November 2024].

Barut A and Mohamud SA. The psychosexual and

psychosocial impacts of polygamous marriages: a

cross-sectional study among Somali women. BMC

Womens

Health.

;23(1).

https://doi.org/10.1186/s12905-023-02830-1

Husain RT, Ahmad A, Kara SA and Alwi Z. Polygamy in

the perspective of Hadith: Justice and equality among

wives in a polygamy practice. Madania. 2019;23(1).

doi:10.21580/ihya.

Shaiful Bahari I, Norhayati MN, Nik Hazlina NH,

Mohamad Shahirul Aiman CAA, Nik Muhammad

and Arif NA. Psychological impact of polygamous

marriage on women and children: a systematic

review and meta-analysis. BMC Pregnancy

Childbirth.

;21(1).

https://doi.org/10.1186/s12884-021-04301-7

Bove R and Valeggia C. Polygyny and women’s health in

sub-Saharan Africa. Soc Sci Med. 2009;68(1):21-29.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2008.09.045

Abudulai F, Pichon M, Buller AM, Scott J and Sharma V.

Displacement, Polygyny, Romantic Jealousy, and

Intimate Partner Violence: A Qualitative Study

among Somali Refugees in Ethiopia. Int J Environ

Res

Public

Health.

doi:10.3390/ijerph19095757

;19(9).

Connell RW. Gender and Power: Society, the Person and

Sexual Politics. Polity press; 1987.

Becker GS. A Theory of Marriage: Part II. J. Polit.

Econ.1974;82(2).

https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/abs/10.1086/

Macdermott R and Cowden J. Polygyny and violence

against women. In: Kristen Renwick Monroe, ed.

The Evils of Polygyny: Evidence of Its Harm to

Women, Men, and Society. 2018.

Croft TN, Allen CK, Zachary BW, et al. Guide to DHS

Statistics -

Available

DHS-8. Rockville, MD: ICF;

at:

https://www.dhsprogram.com/pubs/pdf/DHSG1/Gui

de_to_DHS_Statistics_DHS-8.pdf. [Accessed 10

November 2024]

Abdullahi M. Diriye. Culture and Customs of Somalia.

Greenwood; 2001.

Chikwature W and Oyedele V. Polygamy and academic

achievement—a case of Johanne Marange Apostolic

Sect. Eur J Res Soc Sci. 2016;4(5):26-40. Available

at:

https://www.idpublications.org/wp

content/uploads/2016/05/Full-Paper-POLYGAMY

AND-ACADEMIC-ACHIEVEMENT-A-CASE

OF-JOHANNE-MARANGE-APOSTOLIC

SECT.pdf [Accessed 14 December 2024]

Damtie Y, Kefale B, Yalew M, Arefaynie M and Adane B.

Multilevel analysis of determinants of polygyny

among married men in Ethiopia. BMC Public Health.

;21(1).

https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-02111701-z

Luling V and Adam AS. Continuities and Changes:

Marriage in Southern Somalia and the Diaspora.

Northeast Afr Stud. 2015;15(1):139-166.

Aboagye, RG, Essuman MA, Dzirasah KD. et al.

Association between polygyny and justification of

violence among women in sexual unions in sub

Saharan Africa. BMC Public Health 25, 1719 (2025).

https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-025-22581-y;

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.