The African woman’s plight of reproduction: A philosophical analysis of marriage, procreation and womanhood

Abstract

abstract In many African societies, marriage is considered an important aspect of human life. With the various practices of marriage across Africa, there is at least one common purpose for traditional marriage in African societies – to procreate. Although traditional marriage is characterised as a union for procreation, procreation is often considered to be a woman’s responsibility. This responsibility is what I identify as the primary reproductive coercion that exists within African traditional marriage since the very essence of womanhood is tied to reproduction. Secondary to this, I identify various forms of reproductive coercion that are carried out by the husband, family and the community which interfere with the sexual and reproductive autonomy of women. Essentially, women end up having children out of the fear of: 1) not being considered full persons, and 2) the abuse and mistreatment that childless women are subjected to. As a way of addressing this problematic relationship between marriage and procreation, I propose a re-evaluation and reconceptualisation of African traditional marriage that rests on the ideals and principles of ubuntu and appeals to African feminism.