2 -  Negotiating Marriage on the Eve of Human Rights

Kirsten Besendahl

doi:10.4314/asr.v8i1.23234

Issue

Vol. 8 No. 1 (2004): African Sociological Review

Issue Published : April 7, 2004

2 - Negotiating Marriage on the Eve of Human Rights

https://doi.org/10.4314/asr.v8i1.23234

Kirsten Besendahl

Corresponding Author(s) : Kirsten Besendahl

no-replay@codesria.org

African Sociological Review, Vol. 8 No. 1 (2004): African Sociological Review
Article Published : April 2, 2004

Abstract

This paper examines the case of women’s rights in marriage. It adopts a pluralist perspective on law and rights that highlights the complex legal framework within which women negotiate marriage. Based on research carried out in two Malawian cities in 2000-2001, it focuses on the interplay between different types of laws and norms related to marriage and discusses the opportunities and limitations women experience when negotiating polygynous marriages. One important aspect of the plural legal framework in contemporary Africa is the concept of human rights, which has accompanied the democratisation proces. The paper draws attention women’s rights on the legal framework in
Malawi.

Keywords

Negotiating Marriage women Malawian communication power relations,

Kirsten Besendahl. (2004). 2 - Negotiating Marriage on the Eve of Human Rights. African Sociological Review, 8(1). https://doi.org/10.4314/asr.v8i1.23234

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References

Armstrong, Alice. 1993. ‘Internalising International Women’s Rights Norms’, in P. Nherere, and M. D’Engelbronner-Kolff, (eds.), The Institutionalisation of Human Rights in Southern Africa, Oslo, Norwegian Institute of Human Rights, pp. 55-70.
Channock, Martin. 1985. Law, Custom and Social Order: The Colonial Experience in Malawi and Zambia, African Studies Series 45, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press.
CIA. 2001. World Fact Book, (www.odci.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/mi.html), October 9.
Davison, Jean. 1997. Gender, Lineage, and Ethnicity in Southern Africa, Oxford, Westview Press.
Englund, Harri. 2000. ‘The Dead Hand of Human Rights: Contrasting Christianities in Post- Transition Malawi’, The Journal of Modern African Studies, vol. 38, no. 4, pp. 579-603.
Englund, Harri. 2001. ‘Chinyanja and the Language of Rights’, Nordic Journal of African Studies, vol. 10, no. 3, pp. 299-319.
Griffiths, Anne. 2001. ‘Towards a Plural Perspective on Kwena Women’s Rights’, in Jane K. Cowan, Marie-Bénédicte Dembour, Richard A. Wilson, (eds.), Culture and Rights: Anthropological Perspectives, Cambridge University Press, pp. 102-126.
Griffiths, John. 1986. ‘What is Legal Pluralism?’, Journal of Legal Pluralism, vol. 24, pp. 1-55.
Hellum, Anne. 1999. Women’s Human Rights and Legal Pluralism in Africa, Norway and Zimbabwe, Tano Aschehoug.
Kholowa, Janet Y., and Fiedler, Klaus. 2000. In the Beginning God Created Them Equal, Blantyre, Christian Literature Association in Malawi.
Kaunda, Desmond. 2000. ‘Court Watch’, ARISE! - Newsletter of the Network Against Gender Violence, vol. 1, no. 3, pp. 6-7, Lilongwe, Malawi Human Rights Resource Centre.
Ministry of Gender, Youth and Community Services. 2000. Information Kit on Violence Against Women, Lilongwe, Ministry of Gender, Youth and Community Services.
Moore, Sally Falk. 1978. ‘Law and Social Change: The Semi-Autonomous Social Field as an Appropriate Subject of Study’, in Sally Falk Moore, Law as Process, London, Routledge.
Mvula, Peter M., and Kakhongities: Women in Malawi, Zombaand Harare, UNIMA/SARDC.
National Statistical Office. n.d. Malawi People and Housing Census 1998, Zomba, Malawi, National Statistical Office.
National Statistical Office. 2001. Malawi Demographic and Health Survey 2000, Zomba, Malawi, National Statistical Office.
Network Against Gender Violence. 2000. Breaking the Silence, Issue 1, May 2000.
Phiri, Isabel A.. 1997. Women, Presbyterianism and Patriarchy: Religious Experience of Chewa Women
in Central Malawi, Blantyre, Christian Literature Association in Malawi.
Read, Margaret. 1970. The Ngoni of Nyasaland, London, Frank Cass and Co. Ltd.
Republic of Malawi (Constitution) Act. 1994. (www.sdnp.org.mw/constitut.html). December 7, 2001.
United Nations Development Programme. 2000. Human Development Report 2000, New York, Oxford University Press.
Wilson, Monica. 1977. For Men and Elders: Change in the Relations of Generations and of Men and Women Among the Nyakusa-Ngonde People 1875-1971, New York, Africana Publishing Company.
WLSA. ‘Women and Law in Southern Africa’. 2000. In In Search of Justice: Women and the Administration of Justice in Malawi, Blantyre, Dzuka Publishing Co. Ltd.
Women’s Voice. 2000. ‘Traditional Practices/Customs and Their Effects on Wo Children’s Rights. Research Findings’, Unpublished Research Report, Blantyre.

References

Armstrong, Alice. 1993. ‘Internalising International Women’s Rights Norms’, in P. Nherere, and M. D’Engelbronner-Kolff, (eds.), The Institutionalisation of Human Rights in Southern Africa, Oslo, Norwegian Institute of Human Rights, pp. 55-70.

Channock, Martin. 1985. Law, Custom and Social Order: The Colonial Experience in Malawi and Zambia, African Studies Series 45, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press.

CIA. 2001. World Fact Book, (www.odci.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/mi.html), October 9.

Davison, Jean. 1997. Gender, Lineage, and Ethnicity in Southern Africa, Oxford, Westview Press.

Englund, Harri. 2000. ‘The Dead Hand of Human Rights: Contrasting Christianities in Post- Transition Malawi’, The Journal of Modern African Studies, vol. 38, no. 4, pp. 579-603.

Englund, Harri. 2001. ‘Chinyanja and the Language of Rights’, Nordic Journal of African Studies, vol. 10, no. 3, pp. 299-319.

Griffiths, Anne. 2001. ‘Towards a Plural Perspective on Kwena Women’s Rights’, in Jane K. Cowan, Marie-Bénédicte Dembour, Richard A. Wilson, (eds.), Culture and Rights: Anthropological Perspectives, Cambridge University Press, pp. 102-126.

Griffiths, John. 1986. ‘What is Legal Pluralism?’, Journal of Legal Pluralism, vol. 24, pp. 1-55.

Hellum, Anne. 1999. Women’s Human Rights and Legal Pluralism in Africa, Norway and Zimbabwe, Tano Aschehoug.

Kholowa, Janet Y., and Fiedler, Klaus. 2000. In the Beginning God Created Them Equal, Blantyre, Christian Literature Association in Malawi.

Kaunda, Desmond. 2000. ‘Court Watch’, ARISE! - Newsletter of the Network Against Gender Violence, vol. 1, no. 3, pp. 6-7, Lilongwe, Malawi Human Rights Resource Centre.

Ministry of Gender, Youth and Community Services. 2000. Information Kit on Violence Against Women, Lilongwe, Ministry of Gender, Youth and Community Services.

Moore, Sally Falk. 1978. ‘Law and Social Change: The Semi-Autonomous Social Field as an Appropriate Subject of Study’, in Sally Falk Moore, Law as Process, London, Routledge.

Mvula, Peter M., and Kakhongities: Women in Malawi, Zombaand Harare, UNIMA/SARDC.

National Statistical Office. n.d. Malawi People and Housing Census 1998, Zomba, Malawi, National Statistical Office.

National Statistical Office. 2001. Malawi Demographic and Health Survey 2000, Zomba, Malawi, National Statistical Office.

Network Against Gender Violence. 2000. Breaking the Silence, Issue 1, May 2000.

Phiri, Isabel A.. 1997. Women, Presbyterianism and Patriarchy: Religious Experience of Chewa Women

in Central Malawi, Blantyre, Christian Literature Association in Malawi.

Read, Margaret. 1970. The Ngoni of Nyasaland, London, Frank Cass and Co. Ltd.

Republic of Malawi (Constitution) Act. 1994. (www.sdnp.org.mw/constitut.html). December 7, 2001.

United Nations Development Programme. 2000. Human Development Report 2000, New York, Oxford University Press.

Wilson, Monica. 1977. For Men and Elders: Change in the Relations of Generations and of Men and Women Among the Nyakusa-Ngonde People 1875-1971, New York, Africana Publishing Company.

WLSA. ‘Women and Law in Southern Africa’. 2000. In In Search of Justice: Women and the Administration of Justice in Malawi, Blantyre, Dzuka Publishing Co. Ltd.

Women’s Voice. 2000. ‘Traditional Practices/Customs and Their Effects on Wo Children’s Rights. Research Findings’, Unpublished Research Report, Blantyre.