Uganda Supreme Court Bans Dowry Refund on Divorce
Uganda’s Supreme Court ruled that the practice of refunding the price of the bride upon the dissolution of a customary marriage is unconstitutional and should be banned.
In the 6-1 decision, the majority believed that the practice infringes on a woman’s right to divorce. The judges also said it suggests that a woman is being bought when she marries. Supporters of a ban on the bride price, including the organization Mifumi, which brought the suit, said the practice makes women the property of their husbands. The group welcomed the court’s decision, despite the court rejecting that bride pricing itself was unconstitutional.
