Entrench widows’ rights
Every community treasures its cultural identity. This is the feeling of belonging to a particular group, based on one’s ancestry, cultural heritage, values, traditions and language. It is all very good, but culture is also prone to abuse.
Practices not in tandem with modern realities or downright unfair should be discarded. Nobody should take advantage of cultural practices or beliefs to oppress others.
A draft law in Siaya County is giving oppressed widows a glimmer of hope. The Widows Protection Bill, to be tabled in the county assembly, promises to aid them in succession wars with their in-laws. Many have had their property snatched from them, leaving them and their children destitute. It seeks to establish a widows’ welfare committee and fund.
Activists have appealed for support to stamp out retrogressive cultural practices that oppress widows. Without goodwill from the county executive, this might not succeed, and even if it is passed, it may not be implemented.
Obnoxious cultural practices such as forced wife inheritance have no place in this time and age. Some widows also end up getting raped and contracting sexually transmitted diseases. What was meant for the protection of widows in traditional society has become a tool of oppression and sexual molestation. Many inheritors assault widows and steal from them.
There is a need to entrench the right of widows to inherit and develop properties left behind by their husbands. Widows suffer in silence due to patriarchal practices that infringe on the human rights of women and girls.
One of the benefits of devolution was to give communities an opportunity to fix unique challenges. Counties should do more of this. This proposed law is progressive and should be supported and emulated.
