The last time I checked, June 23 of every year
remained International Widows’ Day. It suffices to say that last Saturday, the
world over commemorated the day as
stipulated and observed by the United Nations (UN).
The International Widows’ Day is a UN ratified day of action to address
the poverty and injustice faced by millions of widows and their dependents in
many countries. The event invariably takes place on every 23rd day
of June.
The day was established in 2005
by Raj Loomba whose mother became a widow on June 23,
1954, and the bereaved woman experienced the social intolerance and financial
adversity that can befall widows.
The establishment was made under the aegis of The Loomba Foundation to raise awareness of the issue of
widowhood, which was thereafter formally adopted and duly approved on 21st
December 2010 by the United Nations’ General Assembly under the leadership of
the former UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-Moon. The proposal for the approval was
tendered by President Ali Bongo Ondimba of Gabon.
A widow
is a woman whose husband has died, whilst a widower is a man who has lost his
wife. Hence, widowhood is a state in which a man or a woman, as the case may
be, has lost his/her spouse.
It is obvious that in any society in the world, anyone either a man or a
woman found in a state of widowhood is regarded as a less-privileged, because
his/her partner in whom he/she is well pleased has departed for eternity. But
in Africa, particularly Nigeria, the most devastating aspect of widowhood is
when a woman is passing through the ordeal.
In
Nigeria for instance, on the average, a widow regardless of her status, is
severely molested, intimidated as well as humiliated. The major plight faced by
a widow in this part of the world is deprivation of her late husband’s
properties or possessions by her teeming in-laws. In this case, she would be
banned from making use of anything belonging to the deceased, thereby making
her appear like a mere slave in her matrimonial home.
In most cases, the widow in
question would be accused of being responsible for her husband’s demise without
minding the severe psychological pains and agony she is passing through. In
some quarters, to prove her innocence, the poor widow would be mandated by the
accusers to drink the water used in washing her late husband’s corpse; a
practice that seems highly irrational and barbaric.
To
worsen the matter, she might even be sent out of her matrimonial home as if she
was not legitimately married to the deceased. Even if she begot a child for the
deceased, she would be asked to leave with the child for her parental home.
It’s worth noting that this aspect of intimidation can make the sufferer commit
suicide unannounced owing to the gravity of ignominy attached to the
ordeal.
Most pathetically and painfully, based on
the locality, a widow may be subjected to marry her late husband’s sibling,
which is often referred to by the perpetrators as ‘customary or ethical’.
Funnily enough, the so-called prospective husband of the widow may be a married
man or even an imbecile.
After the official recognition
of June 23 by the UN, the accompanying resolution called upon Member States,
the United Nations system, and other international and regional organizations
to give special attention to the situation of widows and their children. A
recent report reveals that there are an estimated two hundred and forty-five
(245) million widows worldwide, of which one hundred and fifteen (115) million
live in abject poverty and suffer from social stigmatization and economic
deprivation.
As the world over marks the famous
International Widows’ Day, it is our civic responsibility as Nigerians to support the worthwhile event. In our respective
capacities, we have vital roles to play towards ensuring that this ugly
ubiquitous melodrama as regards humiliation of widows is totally eradicated.
Poverty and injustice against widows is a worldwide plight addressed by
the International Widows’ Day, thus we are expected to individually or
collectively help to tackle the said anomalies.
We can assist in the ongoing campaign by
ensuring that in our respective jurisdictions, a widow is not treated unjustly.
We can also help to prosecute anyone who attempts to intimidate or humiliate
her. Similarly, every widow should be conscientized on the need to fight for
her right regardless of the circumstance. Widowers should equally be supported
in any possible way in order to keep them away from any form of emotional or
psychological trauma.
The civil rights lawyers shouldn’t hesitate
to pursue any legal case regarding widowhood that’s brought to their chambers
even if the plaintiff lacks the financial muscle. In the same vein, the civil
society groups as well as religious bodies ought to put up a holistic
sensitization toward making the general public understand the repercussion of
treating a widow or widower, as the case may be, unjustly.
The country's legislature ought to, on its part, take into cognizance that there's a compelling need to enact a strict law that would stipulate capital penalty for anyone found guilty of maltreating or humiliating a widow no matter how highly placed he/she is. The various state lawmakers should also endeavour to domesticate the law and thereafter ensure strict implementation and compliance.
The widows on their part are required to
form a formidable coalition in any locality they find themselves to enable them
possess one voice towards tackling any form of maltreatment they are usually
faced. By so doing, they can assist each other in solving any predicament.
They, particularly the less
privileged ones, ought to equally desist from exercising despair; it’s no doubt
very painful for one’s marriage/life partner to depart eternally, but that
shouldn’t make the victim of such circumstance see it as the end of the world.
You can’t turn yourself into a beggar, prostitute, or what have you,
because you have lost the breadwinner of your family. You must be willing to
pick up the pieces of your broken bones and honourably forge ahead. There will
always be a way if we try harder.
Above all, we must note that this campaign
requires the support of all and sundry irrespective of social-cultural or
religious affiliations. Think about it!
FDN
Nwaozor
National Coordinator,
Right Thinkers Movement
___________________________________
frednwaozor@gmail.com
+2348028608056
Twitter: @mediambassador
No comments:
Post a Comment