Abstract
Religion plays a significant role in creating inequalities between men and women in different facets of life. The Johane Marange Apostolic Church (JMAC) doctrine particularly on contraception has created inequalities with regard to women’s reproductive rights. This paper is a qualitative investigation and examination of the gendered inequalities on contraceptive use and reproductive rights of women in the JMAC. The paper made use of the Johane Marange Apostolic Churches in some selected districts of Harare as case study. The paper seeks to answer the following research question, how has the JMAC doctrine on contraception created some gendered inequalities particularly on contraceptive use and reproductive rights of women in this Apostolic church. In answering this research question, I made use of field data collected through participant observation and in-depth interviews with women in some selected JMACs in Harare. The paper takes a qualitative research approach. I analyse the data in order to draw conclusions regarding gendered inequalities on contraceptive use and reproductive rights of men and women in JMAC. Major findings of the study showed that the clandestine use of modern contraceptives by women in JMAC against their church doctrine has turned them into independent agents. Women in JMAC have now changed the way in which they view their sexuality, thus, they are now able to control their sexual and reproductive capabilities. Through the clandestine use of modern contraceptives, the paper showed that most married women in JMAC now liberate themselves from being passive sexual and reproductive vessels. On the whole, the paper submits that it is the JMAC religious doctrine against contraception which has created some gendered inequalities on sexual and reproductive rights of women in JMAC.