Investigating the relationship between excessive dowry and gender based violence in the households of Maramba compound of Livingstone district.
Date
2022-07-16
Authors
Kalaluka, Martha
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Publisher
The University of Zambia
Abstract
This research was based on investigating the relationship between excessive dowry and Gender Based Violence in the households of Maramba compound in Livingstone District. Its main purpose was to investigate the effects of excessive dowry on GBV in the households of Maramba compound of Livingstone District. The study was guided by the following main research question: What are the effects of excessive dowry on Gender Based Violence in Maramba Compound of Livingstone District? This question formed the main basis for the achievement of the study’s overarching purpose highlighted earlier. A qualitative methodology was used to collect data for this research. Semi-structured questionnaires and semi-structured interviews were used to collect data. The research participants included couples, traditional counselors and elders.
The findings of the study were as follows: It was clear that GBV exists in the households of Maramba compound and the common forms of GBV include physical violence, emotional, economical and sexual violence among others. Some of the causes of GBV were: Unfaithfulness, poverty, unemployment and excessive dowry. The study also established that excessive dowry contributes significantly to GBV in that it leads to poverty in a home, breakdown in family relations, cultural dilution among others.
The main conclusion of the study was that GBV exists in the households of Maramba compound in different forms such as physical, emotional and economical: some of the contributions of excessive dowry to GBV include poverty, broken family relations, and cultural dilution. The measures include enforcement of existing policies to curb the vice.
Arising from the findings that addressed the objectives, this study made the following recommendations: There is need for the society to accept the presence of GBV caused by excessive dowry. Acceptance should be followed by formulating and implementing policies that will curb the vice.
There is also need for cultural reform, the cultural norms that promote excessive dowry charges should be revised or done away with. Furthermore, there must be sensitization programmes at all levels in Maramba Compound to educate people on the effects of excessive dowry.
The church, traditional leaders, local authorities and all stakeholders should join hands in the fight against excessive dowry charges, which have contributed significantly, to GBV.
The need for empowerment of people in Maramba compound cannot be over emphasized as people need to be empowered with skills that they will use to sustain their lives considering that unemployment levels are very high in the compound. Empowerment will eradicate poverty that contributes to people charging dowry excessively as they see dowry as a business opportunity to better their lives.
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Keywords
Zambia Police Service. Victim Support Unit. , Women--Violence against--Zambia--Cases. , Girls--Violence against--Zambia--Cases. , Family violence--Zambia--Cases.