Foundation seeks help for widows in Africa

The African Widows Summit, an initiative of the Almanah Hope Foundation in Nigeria, has called on African leaders to promote sustainable and universal empowerment for African widows by taking constructive action on issues that have to do with them.

Speaking at an event in Lagos, on Saturday, on the outcome of the first African Widows Summit held in Zanzibar, Tanzania in June, the Founder of the Almanah Hope Foundation in Nigeria, Hope Nwakwesi, said the government should protect and empower windows.

Nwakwesi, who is also the President of the Union of African Widows and the African Widows Summit, said the landmark event for African widows’ reform provided a platform where widows and various stakeholders explored and addressed the challenges faced by widows across the continent.

The event, she noted, aimed to drive the narrative that focused on widow’s empowerment through inclusion, emphasising the role of government in providing political leadership and intervention through strategic policy, planning, and allocation.

She explained, “As African women in widowhood continue to grapple with persistent challenges and the prevalence of discrimination and disinheritance measuring across five key pillars: cultural practices and beliefs, economic opportunity; political empowerment; social services and security.

“Having a policy within these borders is an action that will promote sustainable and universal empowerment for African widows, which must be provided by the government, hence the initiative of The African Widows Summit.”

She commended the Revolutionary Government of Zanzibar and its President Dr. Hussein Ali Mwinyi, for supporting the summit believing in their mission, and welcoming the historic first-ever summit for widows on the continent.

Nwakwesi noted that the African Widows Summit held from June 20-22, 2024, in Zanzibar, Tanzania, had set a new benchmark in addressing the critical issues surrounding widowhood in Africa

The women advocate said the three-day conference, under the theme “Women in Widowhood: Reforming the African Space,” brought together a diverse group of leaders, advocates, and widows to focus on widows inclusion, economic empowerment, and policy reform with delegates from over 10 countries of Africa.

“The objectives of the summit were: to deepen the understanding of widowhood issues and policy development; improve access to knowledge and information related to widows’ rights and to provide political leadership to addressing widows’ issues and catalyzing solutions that will improve the values of African widows.

“It also discussed the social and economic roles of widows in their communities and the need for supportive frameworks through government planning and allocation.

“The summit had a compelling keynote address from Ms. Prudence Nonkululeko Ngwenya, the African Union Director of Women, Gender and Youth.

“Among her contributions were on how to ensure widows’ rights are upheld. Widows should be empowered economically to improve their livelihood and support their families to live in dignity.”

According to her, the summit also stated the need for the establishment of a dedicated fund to support widows, aiming to provide financial resources and opportunities for self-sufficiency, and for donor policy and politics to begin the allocation of funds to widows empowerment.

In her submission, Nwakwesi highlighted that sustainable and universal empowerment for African Widows was key to unlocking the invisible women (widows).

“It’s the responsibility of the government which involves the inclusion of widows in policy, economy, education, health, and housing plans”, she said.