Zabib Musa Loro, one of Women Rights Activists who think culture is forcing men in South Sudan to marry more than one wife - Credit: Moses Awan/Eye Radio - Feb. 1st, 2024

Some South Sudanese women’s rights activists who spoke about polygamy cited cultural practices as one of the reasons why men are marrying more wives in the country.

The activists were speaking during the launch of Arusa – a new bride podcast focusing on the future of love and polygamous marriage in South Sudan. The event was held in Juba on February 14, 2024.

Polygamy is the practice of one man marrying more than one wife and it is common practice in South Sudan among communities.

Barbra Roko said some men are involved in polygamy to respond to their cultural ideology which depends on extending family.

The need for consent and understanding within these relationships is crucial, and promoting equitable and respectful treatment for all parties involved is an ongoing conversation

She narrated that some men were forced into polygamy.

Roko alleged that polygamy doesn’t satisfy all women’s needs

“It’s not his people who are pressurizing him but it’s the culture that pressurized them,” said Roko.

“We all know that pressure of being the good community woman, you know, being the community sister, being the good girl at home. So, with men, we should also see that need,” she said.

“Some men don’t want to have many wives. I know a man who, when he is told, you need to get a second. He told his family if I cannot manage one, how will I manage two financially?

“Many of these things, they do it for the clan. They marry the woman; give her the baby the clan wants and never touch the woman again or never see her again,” Roko said.

The Women’s Rights Activist clarified that polygamy can have psychological impacts on women and men.

Roko said the impact of cultural expectations and traditions isn’t solely on men,

But the complex effect on women and their roles within these polygamous relationships.

She added that the emotional complexities faced by both men and women in polygamous situations are essential.

“It’s also good for us to see ourselves as women, the role we play in not necessarily promoting this culture as harmful, but the role we play in maybe not doing it equitably,” said Roko.

“The role we play in not hearing our sisters, our in-law, sister-in-law’s voice or listening to what she has to say, or even just having her concerns, just the psychological impact, the heart, the love it takes to have for two people and all that, those are very complex things,” she said.

“I think we are very conditioned to see men as these hard people who will do things as they want, and it’s all about sex and everything. But they also have some element of emotion, and they also feel that stress,” he concluded.

However, Zabib Musa Loro, another Women Activist and also a member of the South Sudan family law draft committee alleged that South Sudan societies believe that with more wives you have means of power.

She says polygamy is permitted in Islam under specific circumstances, it’s important to recognize the principles and conditions surrounding its practice.

Zabib says Polygamy is considered an exception, allowed in situations where it might serve a specific purpose

“Many of us, of course, come from polygamous families and it also differs from family to family or from culture to culture. Culturally, you’re expected as a man to have multiple wives,” said Zabib.

“Our society believes that maybe having more wives is having power, having more wives is having more children, and it comes with a lot of its impact,” she said.

“We understand that polygamy is having multiple wives. In definition. From my context of Islam, polygamy is allowed under certain circumstances however, it is also based on permission,” Zabib added.

“You have your wife and you have to get permission from that woman first because she is your wife. She has to consent for you to have another woman,” she said.

In October 2023 a Human Rights Lawyer warned South Sudanese men opting to marry more than one wife against conflict with the Maputo Protocol which provides for the first wife’s consent.

Amanya Joseph says women have often been deprived of their late husbands’ properties in violation of the Maputo Protocol.

He is now encouraging men to seek their wife’s consent before making any decision to bring in another woman.