July 19, 2022

Women’s rights activists in Ivory Coast have expressed anger over a proposed bill that will legalize polygamy for men, calling it a step backwards in the fight for equality.

Although the bill has to be reviewed by the Constitutional Court before it can be put to a vote in parliament, Rights groups say this bill could cause Ivorian women to face systemic inequalities and discrimination.

Reports say Polygamy was outlawed in Ivory Coast in 1964 and is prohibited in many parts of the world but remains widespread in West African countries.

The United Nations Commission on Human Rights considers the practice discriminatory against women and has called for its eradication.