India has 43 million widows. The vast majority of these face stigma, simply by virtue of the fact that their husbands had died. Widows in many parts of Africa, too, face marginalization from their communities. At CSW53, groups working for widows claiming their voice gave feedback on some progress made with widows’ rights.
It is hard to overcome the centuries-old traditions which have led to the shame women experience when their husbands die, says Dr Akanksha Dutt;
Guild of Service is an NGO, which supports widows in India and creates awareness about their rights in traditional communities. In time, the widows regain their self-esteem and start reclaiming life.
In Nyanza, Western Kenya, widows traditionally also lose their inheritance, land and housing rights – unless they get married to their deceased husband’s brother. A grassroots community, GROOTS Kenya, has done some landmark work to make women aware that this tradition conflicts with the rights of widows. Women and traditional leaders from the area are encouraged to work together to make the widows ‘ voices heard.
An Internews-produced documentary titled My Dead Husband’s Land traces the story of Betty Tom, a widow from Nyanza, who challenged rural traditions with the help of GROOTS and other organizations. The documentary outlines how HIV/AIDS was a catalyst for village elders to see that the tradition can threaten the wellbeing of the community. In the end, Betty Tom is able to claim back her dead husband’s land and she does not have to marry his brother.
Watch the Video: "My Dead Husband's Land"
It is hard to overcome the centuries-old traditions which have led to the shame women experience when their husbands die, says Dr Akanksha Dutt;
Guild of Service is an NGO, which supports widows in India and creates awareness about their rights in traditional communities. In time, the widows regain their self-esteem and start reclaiming life.
In Nyanza, Western Kenya, widows traditionally also lose their inheritance, land and housing rights – unless they get married to their deceased husband’s brother. A grassroots community, GROOTS Kenya, has done some landmark work to make women aware that this tradition conflicts with the rights of widows. Women and traditional leaders from the area are encouraged to work together to make the widows ‘ voices heard.
An Internews-produced documentary titled My Dead Husband’s Land traces the story of Betty Tom, a widow from Nyanza, who challenged rural traditions with the help of GROOTS and other organizations. The documentary outlines how HIV/AIDS was a catalyst for village elders to see that the tradition can threaten the wellbeing of the community. In the end, Betty Tom is able to claim back her dead husband’s land and she does not have to marry his brother.
Watch the Video: "My Dead Husband's Land"
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