Int’l Widows Day: Banigo Seeks Protection For Women

As Nigeria joins the global community to commemorate this year’s International Widows Day, Rivers State Deputy Governor, Dr. Ipalibo Harry Banigo has called for a sustained effort in the fight against harmful traditional practice against women and particularly widows.
In a statement by her Press Secretary, Paul Damgbor, Banigo, she said the event which was ratified by the United Nations to reduce poverty and injustice being done to millions of widows across the world, is yet to achieve its desired result.
The deputy governor remarked that it was worrisome to note that 245 million women globally are widows, while an estimated number of 115 million of them are faced with severe poverty, stigmatisation and violent attacks by families and relatives, and called for concerted efforts by government and relevant agencies to give women and indeed widows a pride of place in the scheme of things.
Banigo reiterated the commitment of the Wike-led administration in the state towards alleviating the plight of widows as well as ensure that their rights and dignity are protected.
She reminded widows not to see widowhood as the end of their life by engaging in street begging, prostitution and other unwholesome practices no matter the prevailing socio-economic pressures facing them as a result of the demise of their husbands.
The deputy governor advised widows in the state to key into the various programmes of the state government designed to empower them economically, by forming co-operative societies to enable them access soft loans to boost their businesses.