Polygamy, a marital practice often met with controversy and criticism in various parts of the world, continues to thrive in several African countries with Burkina Faso, Mali and Gambia taking the lead.
Recent data highlights the enduring presence of this age-old tradition in different African countries, where cultural norms and religious beliefs shape the institution of marriage.
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According to africa.businessinsider.com, Polygamy is banned throughout much of the world, and the United Nations Human Rights Committee, which has said that “polygamy violates the dignity of women,” and has called for it to “be definitely abolished wherever it continues to exist.” But there often are limits to government administration of marriages.
In many countries, marriages are governed by religious or customary law, which means that oversight is in the hands of clerics or community leaders.
Polygamy also tends to vary based on religious affiliation. Muslims in Africa are more likely than Christians to live in this type of arrangement (25% vs. 3%), but in some countries, the practice is also widespread among adherents of folk religions and people who do not identify with a religion.
Here, we explore the top 10 African countries where polygamy remains a significant aspect of society.
