Summary Of Findings
NATIONAL STUDY ON POLYGAMY
MUSLIM WOMEN’S VIEWS AND EXPERIENCES
Our survey indicates that being in a polygamous marriage causes tremendous emotional trauma to the woman apart from economic and other hardships. It effects the woman’s sense of self respect, self-esteem and dignity as a human being. The issue is compounded by educational and economic deprivation as they are in no position to raise their voice and demand fair treatment. Most wives in polygamous unions have low education and income status. 77% first wives are dropouts below SSC, 43% do not have an income. Further, a large proportion of women in such arrangements – about 52% - have an income below Rs 10,000. This indicates that women in these marriages are deprived of economic independence. In 45% cases the age of the husband at the time of the 1stmarriage is between 21 and 26 years and in 38% of the cases the age of the husband at the time of the second marriage is between 21 and 26 years. With only 9% of the husbands having studied between graduation and post-graduation, it can be concluded that the educational level of husbands in such unions is also quite low. Another important piece of data that has come out of this survey is that in 49% of the cases where the woman happens to be in a polygamous union, the parents have selected the spouse. This shows the relatively little autonomy that women have within this institution and makes a mockery of the Quranic provision of consent. It also highlights that assumptions about free, autonomous choice of spouses in polygamy is not true.
It is clear that women hardly have the same bargaining power as men when it comes to choice of spouses, especially in instances of polygamy. An overwhelming number of women said they felt a sense of betrayal, loss of dignity and loss of self-respect when the husband remarried despite her being the wife. The survey highlights severe mental health issues that plague the women. 50% of the women said that they were depressed most of the time. They also reported other symptoms of depression such as lack of adequate sleep (43%), frequent aches and pains (33%), not feeling good about themselves (33%), and even a tendency to self-harm (43%). An overwhelming number of women (84%) felt that polygamy should be outlawed. A large number of them (73%) even said that the husband who takes a second wife should be punished.
Under- age marriages:
o 29% girls [ who are 1stwives] and 18% [ who are 2ndwives] were married below the age of
18
Low education:
o 71% second wives are dropout below SSC, 20% illiterate, 4% graduate
o 77% first wives are dropout below SSC, 11% up to SSC, 7% graduate, 1% PG
Poverty:
o 42% first wives have no income at all; 40% have an income of below Rs 1000
o 45% second wives have no income at all; 34% have an income of below Rs 1000
Wife’s permission not sought:
o Only 23% husbands informed the wife about their second marriage
o 72% women learnt about husband’s second marriage through family or external sources like neighbours or friends.
o 90% wives’ said their permission was not sought by the husband
Reasons: the women narrated the kind of reasons provided by the husbands as follows:
o 35% of the husbands gave the reason that they fell in love with someone else o 11% gave the reason of no children
o 6% said they remarried to support a widow or divorcee o 12% said their parents asked them to o 4% said their wives were bed-ridden o 10% blamed their first wives o 6% remarried because they wanted sons
o 11% were not happy with her body (skin colour, too fat/thin)
45% of the husbands threatened their first wife with divorce if she resented his second marriage
Role of Qazi Court
o 29% of the women approached a Qazi for redress after their husband’s second marriage
o 42% of the women were told to adjust because it is allowed in Shariat o 10% said it was his right in Islam o 22% were asked to take Khula
o 26% were asked to file a case against the husband if they were unhappy
Relations after Second marriage
o 41% of the husbands do not live with her anymore, o 25% husbands spend less time with her,
o 16% said the frequency of fights has increased,
o 15% husbands do not at all care for the first wife
Monthly maintenance
o 40% of the husbands provide first wife’s monthly maintenance, o 47% do not provide monthly maintenance,
o 13% husbands provide monthly maintenance irregularly
o 44% of women started working after the husband remarried
Housing status
o 41% moved to their parent’s house, o 35% live in the same house as before, o 14% live on their own in a rented house
o 10% live in a new house provided by their husband
45% women said they are tolerating the second marriage because they have no other option and they are concerned about their children
Over 50% women suffer from mental trauma such as depression, self-blaming, suicidal tendencies
84% women feel that polygamy should be made illegal
