Last week, Uganda's Supreme Court declared bride prices unconstitutional. In a six to one ruling, the court stated, "[t]he payment of bride price and its refund as a condition precedent to a valid marriage and resolution of that marriage undermines the dignity and status of women." Ugandan advocates have long argued that the traditional practice of "paying" for a bride made women more vulnerable to domestic violence and early marriage. Research conducted in 2009 found that nearly 100% of Ugandan women surveyed experienced violence after payment of a bride price. Women often cannot end violent marriages unless the woman's family refunds the bride price paid.
Compiled from: Uganda supreme court rules bride prices unconstitutional, Turkish Weekly (August 7, 2015).