Reps propose five-month bereavement leave for widows

A bill seeking one and five months leave to men and women who lost their spouse respectively scaled second reading on the floor of the House of Representatives on Tuesday.

The bill sponsored by the member representing Bida/Katcha/Gbako Federal Constituency, Niger State, Saidu Abdullahi, will grant the widows and widowers a period to mourn their spouse and recover from the physiological trauma.

Leading the debate on the general principles of the bill at Tuesday’s plenary, Abdullahi lamented the plight of spouses in Nigeria who have lost their partners, adding that the difficulty of single parenting was both deep and complex.

 “The bill is targeted at addressing the pressing issue of supporting individuals who have lost their spouses and helping them navigate the challenging period of widowhood,” he said.

This bill is divided into five clauses. The first clause stipulates the period of leave that is formally granted to a widow and widower with full payment entitlement.

The second clause defines the persons who are eligible for the leave and the third clause states the punishment for the violation of the proposed law.

Part four provides for the interpretation of the terms “widow” and “widower”.

The lawmaker said the widowhood legislation had been enacted in many countries around the world, noting that widows are entitled to 15 days of paid leave in India and 60 days in the Philippines.

“It is important to recognise that the Nigerian Labour Act (2004) does not explicitly provide for any form of leaves that covers widowhood leave warranting a much-needed review.

“However, despite this lacuna in the law, organisations around the country make provision for bereavement leave, a time off work given to employees when faced with the death of spouses.

“In fact, some organisations go a step further to offer some form of financial support formally and informally. Research findings have shown that in Nigeria, public sector organisations grant bereavement leave of 14 days.

“This is no doubt derived from the Public Sector Rules, which state  that ‘An officer may be allowed special leave from duty on full pay on compassionate ground for a period up to two weeks for the burial of spouse/child/parents/parents of spouse.

“Considering that in countries like Australia and Brazil, bereavement leave is typically two days, and in countries like Canada, France, Spain, and the US, it is usually three days; one may say the 14 days prescribed by Public Sector Rules is sufficient.

“But when one looks at the prevalent cultural and religious practices of Nigeria, it seems inadequate. It is always necessary that an organisation looks at the cultural context as the way people mourn is deeply rooted in culture.”

The lawmaker noted that “In eastern Nigeria, the burial of the deceased usually takes place after a few weeks or months (depending on the family) and the mourning period for a widow in modern times is three months even though traditionally, it is up to a year.

“In Islam, while mourning is usually three days, the waiting period for a widow is up to four months. During this period, the bereaved spouse receives visitors for at least a month. Therefore, with our culture in view, giving a widower 30 days and a widow five months of widowhood leave for the death of a spouse may be reasonable.”