The Federal Government of Nigeria through its Ministry of Women Affairs, has flagged off activities marking the commemoration of the 2023 International Widows’ Day, with the theme; ‘Innovation and technology for gender equality’, calling for an end to abuse and persecution of widows.
Also, the Ministry disclosed the Government under the immediate past administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, assented to National Centre for Women Development (NCWD) (Amendment) Bill, 2023, paving the way for its renaming as Maryam Babangida National Center for Women Development, as a mark of honour in respect of the Late First Lady, for her interest in the wellbeing of women and children while alive.
Addressing newsmen in Abuja, on Tuesday, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Women Affairs, Mrs Monilola Udoh, disclosed that International Widows Day is a United Nations ratified day of action to address the injustices faced by millions of widows and their dependants all over the world.
She said: “The day provides an opportunity to work towards improving the welfare of Widows around the world, and it calls for action towards the recognition of Widows as well as helping them in achieving their full rights and potentials. In our society today, many Widows are denied their inheritance right, suffer eviction from their homes, ostracised, stigmatized, abused and discriminated against. As a result, their children sometimes find themselves withdrawn from schools and are more vulnerable to forced labour, sexual and other abuse, especially in the case of girls. Their plight is a manifestation of long-time inequality that pervades our society.
“The theme for the 2023 International Widows’ Day is ‘Innovation and technology for gender equality’. Technological knowledge is important to grab the best opportunities in today’s world. International Widow’s Day 2023’s theme, therefore, aims to help widows realize this fact. The theme emphasizes the dire economic and social potentials of digital literacy for women. To enable them to catch up with development realities that will enhance their living conditions and enable them to contribute to national development.
“Violence Against Widows is a negative socio-cultural norm which makes life unbearable for them. Some of the widowhood rites in Nigeria include practices such as shaving of hair, wearing black/white clothes, sleeping and sitting on the bare floor or mat in the dark; being refrained from bathing for a number of days, seclusion and being made to drink corpse bathing water or swear with husband’s corpse among others to prove innocence. As such widows have remained at the fulcrum of a debasing treatment which negatively impacts 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 therefore deserve all the support required to better their lots. The Ministry is aware of the rising number of young widows in Nigeria and is calling for partners’ support to provide widows with data-based nationwide and socio-economic empowerment programmes.
“I also like to seize this opportunity to call on men to please take good care of their wives while alive, and reduce fights and other unhealthy rivalries. Have a ‘Will’ in case of sudden death to ensure wife and children are cared for even long after their departure as oftentimes family members dispossess widows of their husband’s properties. I, therefore, call for the invocation of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Law in favour of our widows.
“Although challenges still persist in addressing poverty reduction amongst women and young girls, with the renewed commitment and determination by all stakeholders, I believe we will realize the goal of reducing poverty in our society by meaningfully engaging Widows and women in general”
According to Udoh, activities undertaken to commemorate the year 2023 International Widows Day, include Community Level Advocacy and Awareness/sensitization programme at Old Karu, Abuja where about 200 widows are expected to be provided with some palliatives to reduce their social economic burdens, as well as Digital training for Economic Advancement of Widows, organized by Widow’s Hub Africa Initiative.
Others are an Interactive Dialogue with Widows to be organized by Help Line Foundation, empowerment training on agricultural skills and life reality as well awareness programme to equip widows socially and psychologically by Nigeria Weed Project/Seed Cooperative, all in partnership with the Ministry.
She further disclosed that the National Center for Women Development has been renamed Maryam Babangida National Center for Women Development, as a mark of honour in respect of the Late First Lady for her interest in the wellbeing of women and children while alive.
She said: “The National Assembly amendment of the National Centre for Women Development Act, Cap.N15, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 to enhance the functions of the Centre and rename it after our amazon, Her Excellency, the late First Lady, Chief, Dr Mrs Maryam Babangida. The schedule on the renaming of the National Centre for Women Development (Amendment) Bill, 2023 is in line with the Bill on the renaming of the National Centre for Women Development to Maryam Babangida National Centre for Women Development which the Senate on 29th March 2023 passed; while the House of Representatives passed it on the 5th of April, 2023.
“Consequently, the Government under the last administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, approved the Bill by assenting to it in May 2023. By this information, we want our esteemed partners, the general public and indeed the Media personnel to take note of the changes and help publicize it to the nooks and crannies of Nigeria and even beyond.”
YOU SHOULD NOT MISS THESE HEADLINES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
Why Nigeria’s economy needs prayer — Primate Ayodele
The leader of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Primate Elijah Ayodele has revealed that Nigeria’s economy needs prayers to…
EXCLUSIVE: DSS recovers 18 bags of currency, documents from Emefiele’s Lagos residence
No fewer than 18 Ghana-must-go bags containing money and documents have been carted away by operatives of…
Ladies should have between N5m to N10m before getting married — BBNaija’s Doyin
Former Big Brother Naija season 7 ‘Level Up’ housemate, Doyinsola Anuoluwapo David, popularly known as Doyin, has enjoined ladies to…
Peter Obi still best candidate for better Nigeria — Obasanjo
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has described presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in…
GWR: Chef Dammy plans to unseat Hilda Baci with 150-hour cook-a-thon
The 22-year-old chef, Damilola Adeparusi, popularly known as Chef Dammy, has revealed her plans to…
TRANSFER NEWS: Chelsea agree deal for 21-year-old Senegalese striker
According to The Athletic, Chelsea has agreed to personal terms with Villarreal’s Senegal striker Nicolas Jackson, 21, who has a release clause of…
and then