#Article (Archive)

Plight of widows!

Jul 3, 2013, 11:19 AM

Widows are vulnerable in many African societies including ours, and their plight is, therefore, a cause for concern.

Many a time, they are neglected by our national and local authorities and some times also overlooked by civil society organizations.

As a result, this makes the situation of widows very sympathetic, as they rely on very little support.

Yet abuse of widows and their children constitutes one of the most serious violations of human rights, and obstacles to development.

Many widows across the world endure extreme poverty, ostracism, violence, homelessness, ill health and discrimination in law and custom.

It is our belief that we should give special recognition to the situation of widows of all ages, and across regions and cultures.

We do hold the belief that a woman should not lose her rights, when she loses her husband.

In fact, girls married to older men are especially vulnerable to this particular problem, which should not be the case.

We believe that widows should also enjoy better lives, and realize their great potential to contribute to our society’s development.

Giving out maximum support and protection to the widows and their children is very much recommended.

It is time for the national and international bodies to take widowhood issues seriously.

Families should take charge of their moral and social responsibilities by providing help to the widows, especially in difficult moments