INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY 2023: Humanitarian Ministry Empowers 100 Widows

The Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development has empowered one hundred widows in commemoration of International Women’s Day 2023, which was held on  8th March, 2023, in Abuja.

The Permanent Secretary Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Dr  Nasir Sani-Gwarzo, who was represented by the Director General Service,  Mr. John Yakubu,  said that “The International Women’s Day is a global day for us to join voices with people around the world and shout our message of equal rights loud and clear. Women rights are human rights”.

He said that  there is need to recognise the plight of the widows who work tirelessly to stand for themselves, holding unto nothing as the best part of their lives has been compromised by the uncontrollable circumstances that caused the death of their love ones.

According to Dr. Gwarzo, the theme of this year “DigitAll Innovation and Technology for Gender Equality”  was aligned with the priority theme for the upcoming 67th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW-67),  innovation and technological change, and education in the digital age for achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls.

The Permanent Secretary emphasised that the  widowhood practices have continued despite laws and customs put in place to mitigate such, saying further that today in Nigeria, widows are still being humiliated, dehumanized and abused via wicked customs, rites and rituals that subject widows to all forms of Inequality, stigmatizations and poverty.  In some customs, widows are accused of witchcrafts who killed their husbands in the societies.

He informed that many women around the world, the devastating loss of a partner is magnified by a long-term fight for their basic rights and dignity, despite the fact that there are more than 258 million widows around the world, widows have historically been left unseen, unsupported, and unmeasured in our societies.

Dr Gwarzo also disclosed that in addition to facing economic insecurity, widows may be subject to stereotypes, prejudices, and harmful traditional practices with severe consequences. They may face restrictions on their dress, diet, and mobility for years after the death of a partner. In some contexts, widows may be perceived as “carriers” of disease and forced out of social structures entirely or subjected to “ritual cleansing” practices involving forced sex or bodily scarring that can have life-threatening health consequences. Sometimes widows are forcibly “passed on” to or “inherited” by a new designated partner, such as the brother or other relative of her deceased spouse, denying her of her rights to safety, bodily autonomy, justice, and dignity in life after loss.

“This was what informed the 31st January, 2023, inauguration of the National Technical Working Group for Widows and Orphans Needs in Nigeria. There is urgent call to action by government, to safeguard and advance widows’ rights” he added.

Earlier in his opening remarks, the Director of Social Development of the Ministry Mr. Taiwo Ademola Bashorun, welcomed all the participants for the maiden edition of the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development commemoration of the International Women’s Day (IWD) and in particular celebrating all the Widows in Nigeria.

He stated that the Ministry had joined  the rest of the world to celebrate women,  particularly concern for widows in all clusters and segment of Nigeria, and to identify with their plights and unspeakable challenges of  stigmatization, deprivation, denial, poverty, stress and dehumanizing treatment due to their vulnerability.

Mr. Bashorun stated that in attempt to address all the challenges of widows in Nigeria, the Ministry in its humanitarian strides recently inaugurated the National Technical Working Group for Widows and Orphans in Nigeria, on the 31st January 2023, saddled with the responsibility of  providing the needed structures and framework that can offer widows a durable solution for their social protection, Inclusion and economic empowerment.

The high point of the event was the presentation of cheques to the vulnerable widows  who thanked the Ministry for the intervention.

In attendance were Directors of the Ministry, resource person Dr Anna Preye Brambaifa, widows and other other dignitaries.