Alliances for Africa, a women led Non-Governmental Organization, has called on the Imo state government to implement policies that are targeted at protecting and promoting human rights of widows in the state.
They made the call during the commemoration of the International Widows’ Day in Owerri, the Imo state capital.
The celebration marked annually on the 23rd June by
the United Nations Organization, was necessary to bring to the fore human right
abuses and other violations faced by widows in the state, as well as fashion
out ways to ameliorate their sufferings.
The foundation stated that one of the major causes of violence
against widows are fueled by obnoxious socio-cultural norms like, compulsory
shaving of hair or any part of her body in a dehumanizing manner, forceful
takeover of her children without her consent, remain in seclusion after the
death of her husband, forced eviction from her husband’s property, swearing at
a shrine or before anybody and other harmful cultural practices.
These practices, it said are prevalent in the South East and has
no legal backing in the Nigerian constitution, adding also that widows have continued
to be subjected to agonizing, painful and dehumanizing
treatment during their mourning rites and thereafter.
It further pointed out that, the recent insurgency
in the state which heightened the security situation and killings of civilians
and security operatives have created more widows with new responsibilities of
charting the course of their families alone.
Therefore, Alliances for
Africa implores the Hope Uzodinma led government to ensure the passage of the
Violence Against Persons Prohibition bill into law, a legal document, which
has provisions to protect and address issues arising from maltreatment of
widows in its section one Offences, sub section 17 of the bill.