Kuni Tyessi in Abuja
As Nigeria joins the world to commemorate the International Widow’s Day (IWD) yesterday, the Minister of Women Affairs, Ms. Paulen Tallen, has supported 150 widows in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) with palliatives and starters kits.
Tallen, who was represented by Acting Permanent Secretary, Mr. Idris Mohammed, said that widows are key players and contributors to the nation’s economic growth.
With “Invisible women, invisible problem” as the 2022 theme, Tallen said the problems of widow’s have continued to be ignored by policy makers and are not being given the desired attention that they need.
She emphasised that women suffer tragedies once their spouses are dead, thereby exposing them to unwholesome societal and cultural practices.
Tallen said: “In our society today, widow’s are denied their inheritance, land rights, eviction from their homes, ostracised, stigmatised, abused and discriminated. As a result, their children sometimes find themselves withdrawn from schools and more vulnerable to abuse especially in the case of girls.
“The worst case of Violence Against Widows is the socio-cultural norms, which is very prevalent in the country. Many widows in Nigeria are regarded as less than humans while widows have remained at the fulcrum of a debasing, agonising, painful treatment.
“Widows are subjected to dehumanizing treatment during the mourning rites and thereafter, this impact negatively on their social, psychological and physical well-being. Without doubt, you will agree with me that widows equally contribute immensely to our society’s economy and they deserve support to better their lots.
“The theme for this year by the United Nations is “Invisible Women, Invisible Problems.’ The theme tends to highlight the fact that for many societies, a woman’s identity is attached to her partner and after his death, the problems faced by her are ignored by policy makers who do not give special attention to the widowed woman.”
Things distributed include wrappers, toiletries, money and sanitary napkins amongst others.
