GENDER AND HOMEOWNERSHIP: THE DYNAMICS OF MARRIAGE IN KAMPALA, UGANDA

Florence Akiiki Asiimwe¹*
¹Department of Sociology, Makerere University, P.O. Box 7062, Kampala Uganda
* Corresponding Author : asiimwe@ss.mak.ac.ug

Received : -     Accepted : -     Published : 15-06-2010
Volume : 1     Issue : 1       Pages : 1 - 16
J Arts Cult 1.1 (2010):1-16
DOI : http://dx.doi.org/10.9735/0976-9862.1.1.1-16

Keywords : Gender, homeownership, marriage, matrimonial home, gender system, patriarchy
Conflict of Interest : None declared

This study explores the ways in which women in Kampala, Uganda are able to co-own the matrimonial home with their husbands during marriage. Home ownership through marriage implies that a married woman is able to have her name included on the title deed of the land on which the matrimonial home is built. Hence upon divorce, separation or widowhood, the married woman has the power to use and sell the home. The argument made here is that for married women to become homeowners in a Ugandan patriarchal society, it is an uphill task. Hence special conditions need like control of income, absence of a husband, assertiveness, consensus, negotiation, financial crisis need to be available for a married woman to become a homeowner. Married women with nothing to contribute to the home project find it difficult to negotiate for homeownership rights. This is an indication of male dominancy in home ownership. The study, based on purely a qualitative design, applied Hirdman’s gender system and contract theory to explain the complex gender dynamics between married women and their husbands in regard to co-homeownership. The main contribution to this study is the understanding of the complex dynamics of homeownership among middle class urban women. It brings to light that there should be no generalisation of women’s problems in terms of homeownership because each story presents different elements of the homeownership gender contract. This research adds to the existing knowledge on the complex relationship between married women and their husbands.

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