Commissioner Prescribes Strategy To Protect Widows

Out of an estimated 245 million widows worldwide, 155 million live in poverty; suffer social stigmatisation and deprivation while 81 million widows have suffered physical abuse.

The Rivers State Commissioner for Women Affairs, Mrs Joeba West disclosed this during this year’s International Widows Day celebration held at the Auditorium of the Ministry recently. Mrs West, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary in the ministry Mr. Belema Mangibo said some organisations are trying to raise awareness on widowhood, adding that their plights cannot be underestimated.

According to the commissioner, the theme of this year’s International Widows Day in the state, “Zero tolerance, women and men unite to end cultural discrimination against widows,” is timely, adding that no woman should lose her right when she loses her husband.

The commissioner said many people are ignorant about the degradation of widows, adding that some of them see negative and inhuman acts as customs and traditions of the people;.

She said, some widows were victims of mental, physical and sexual abuses, while some were subjected to customary cleansing rituals, which involved having sex with a member of her husband’s family or a stranger.

In her speech, the chairman of the occasion, Mrs Patricia Wali encouraged widows in Rivers State that it is well with them because it is not the end of life, and expressed optimism that they could still do better in life with God on their side.

Mrs Wali encouraged them to brace up as tomorrow could be better than yesterday, and especially thanked the wife of the state governor, Dame Judith Amaechi for recognising the down trodden women in the society and putting smiles on their faces in spite of their pathetic condition, and prayed God to give her the courage and wisdom to do more, and also hailed the commissioner for Women Affairs for the programme.

In her keynote address, the guest speaker, Mrs Florence Amiesimaka urged the widows to fight for their right, end the discriminatory cultural practices against them, enjoining them to invest wisely by being a responsible citizen of the society.