Gambian President Yahya Jammeh announced he was putting limits on widespread polygamy in his country — for the next three years, men will be allowed to have no more than three wives.
According to a BBC report Jammeh’s proclamation, however, the prohibition may not have much real effect,
“Pleas allow the young men to get married took” Mr. Jammeh [said] . . .
But the seriousness in his voice did not match the reaction of his audience who burst into laughter at his announcement.
The population is predominantly Muslim with more than 90% following Islam — and most Gambians are strict in their religious practices.
The BBC reporter suggests that the three wife limit is widely viewed as a measure designed to curry favor with the United States.
While other countries throughout the world have seen a fall in fertility over the past three decades, Gambia maintains extremely high fertility rates in part because of polygamy. Its TFR is 6.0, and in some parts of the country the male fertility rate is above 12.
Human rights groups also oppose polygamy, arguing that it generally exploits women and often leaves marriages in serious financial difficulties.
Sources:
Gambian freeze on polygamy. Demba Jawo, The BBC, July 22, 2003.
Modern methods of family planning and reproductive health services in The Gambia. Swiss Tropical Institute.