A rights-based analysis of the impact of patriarchal norms on women's reproductive autonomy in Uganda

Abstract

This research studies the influence of social cultural norms reflected through societal beliefs, laws, policy and regulation of feminine behaviour in the Ugandan Society and how that impacts on their power to make decisions on how, when and if at all they should have children. The author argues that the state ought to address traditional belief systems because failure to do so results in violation of women’s right to reproductive autonomy. The study is divided into five chapters with the first chapter giving a background to social cultural norms in Uganda that make it impossible for women to make independent decisions free from coercion on whether to have children. Chapter two looks at the normative and conceptual framework of reproductive autonomy in Uganda drawing from documented cases and comparative studies. In the third chapter the study makes a rights based analysis of patriarchal norms and their impact on women’s reproductive autonomy. It explores the extent to which culture and traditional patriarchal norms such as polygamy and hetero-normativity have manifested in laws and policies to limit women from exercising their reproductive autonomy in Uganda. The fourth chapter explores a comparative review of jurisdictions that have better dealt with the question of RA, what progress that has made in empowering women to better manage their reproductive freedom and the fifth and final chapter makes proposals for measures to address limitations on women’s reproductive choices.