A new study has shown polygamous families thrive better than monogamous ones in poor communities. As a result of the study, researchers are now calling for greater cultural sensitivity among campaigners seeking to ban polygamy.
The research carried out in households from Tanzania showed polygamous families owned more cattle and farmed more land than monogamous ones in the same villages. Researchers are now calling for greater cultural sensitivity among campaigners seeking to ban polygamy. The study which was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences journal also showed there was no evidence of children whose fathers had more than one wife were less healthy or hungrier than those in monogamous households.
Lead researcher, David Lawson, of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine said: “Children in polygamous households either do better or just as well as children in monogamous households within the same village.” According to the study, first wives, who tend to live with their husbands, had significantly better nutrition and less stunting among their children than monogamous families.
The children of second wives, who usually live in separate homes adjacent to the first wife, were as healthy as monogamous families, although their food security was slightly lower. Lawson said: “It’s an important finding because we have this very strong language used by the United Nations and others that polygamy is universally harmful.
Most of the policy speak on this topic is not actually very evidence based. . . . What we are arguing for is cultural sensitivity.”
One in four married women in rural Tanzania have at least one co-wife, that is according to government data.
In Kenya, Maasai women often enter polygamous marriages with wealthier men in the community, unlike the Meru, and tend to be better educated than monogamous.
Lawson said: “Polygamy can be potentially protective within cultural settings where women lack direct control over resources."
On December 28th, 2018, a Kenyan Tom Mako alias Junior, 27, married two women, Elizabeth Silamoi, 24, from Enkorika in Mashuuru and Joyce Tikoyian, 23.
Sources: Briefly.co.za
From the first time memorial the most blessed and successful people both with power and generosity were from the polygamous family background, the Bible can bear us a witness
Family and friends across Facebook as I lee Aston understand Western culture is different from Africa culture some places in Africa if you are in the position to mentain more than one wife you can married Western culture according to the law one man one woman Kingston Jamaica...
I know so many men that are 'keeping' another woman and they are respecting one another. It's part of nature, somehow, some men are endowed to have more than one woman....AND somehow some women, do not mind being the 2nd. Hence, in part the Islamic law allows this but with certain conditions. Legalizing this thus give the 2nd women jurisdiction to inheritance and other benefits of the 1st wife, allowing a proper family unit to be established.
Did the National Academy of Sciences journal also study wifes that had more than one husband?
Polygyny is family and economic empowerment and wealth building,for those consenting adutls who choose this life style.
Polygyny is Afroasiatic culture and has been here on earth before the Greeks,the Romans and western european religion forced their tyrannical rule of "monogamy only" idea
on the whole world at large.
The europeans/colonialist should not be governing how ancient cultures practice marriage rights on any level what so ever.
The standard of marriage is on a cultural and traditional bases alone, therefore the europeans/ colonialist ideas should be rejected at all cost.
Our ancient culture should be governed by true cultural Elders outside of western influences, 3.5 billion men on earth will not be forced into a europeanized marrige.
Polygyny is our…