Family Law in Sub-Saharan Africa

Family law is the law of everyday life. It can serve as a first step in transforming social realities and fostering equal rights for women. This study develops an index that measures how equally family law codes treat men and women in the nations in sub-Saharan Africa. It uses this index to determine what relationships correlate with women's equality in the home. The findings of this research suggest that respect for individual rights, the presence of powerful women in the public sphere, and both African and international NGOs can provide the framework necessary to change repressive family law provisions in sub-Saharan nations. This knowledge should help African women shape the contours of the laws that govern their daily lives.