“Polygamy Should Be Legalized for Women,” Peru Delegate Says

The UNHRC’s informal “Hot Takes” session took an unexpected turn when the delegate of Peru raised a provocative question about marriage and gender equality.

“Polygamy should be legalized for women,” the delegate declared, arguing that women should have the same right to have multiple spouses as men in societies where polygamy is permitted.

The statement quickly opened a debate over what the delegate described as an imbalance in marital rights. At the centre of her argument was a simple question: if men can have multiple wives in societies where polygamy is permitted, why should women not have the same option of having more than one husband?

The proposal drew differing reactions from delegates. Sudan opposed adding another layer to an informal session that had already touched on gender, relationships, culture and societal expectations. Other delegates expressed their disapproval, prompting a back-and-forth exchange between those supporting and opposing the idea.

For the Peru delegate, however, the argument was less about challenging marriage itself and more about whether rights within marriage should be applied equally to men and women.

What began as a light-hearted break from formal committee discussions once again became a space for delegates to test unconventional ideas and, in the process, reveal some of the different perspectives around the UNHRC table.

Abigail Bonsu Owusu
The Sentinel Media