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President of International Women Society (IWS), Nkoli Ogbolu, has urged the federal government to make legislation that will protect and empower the widows.
Speaking yesterday at the IWS Skills Acquisition Centre, Lekki, Lagos, to mark the International Widows Day (IWD), she disclosed that 15 million widows in Nigeria live in abject poverty.
According to her, the day is marked globally because there is a collective spirit that is gathered for the empowerment of women and the stopping of abuse of children.
International Widows Day, marked on June 23, is a United Nations-ratified day of action to address the poverty and injustice faced by millions of widows and their dependents in many countries. This year’s theme is Rejuvenate Widows’ Respect.
Chairman of the occasion and former Minister of Health, Dr. Abimbola Oguneke, hailed IWS for the celebrating widow’s day.
Meanwhile, Nigerian women have been urged to redouble efforts in protecting and promoting their rights, dignity and leadership.
The Omu of Anioma, HRM Obi Martha Dunkwu, stated this in Asaba, Delta State, during a women’s summit tagged ‘Innovation For Change’ organised by Working Fingers Global Service to celebrate the IWD.
She said: “Our challenges are not men; it is women oppressing women, especially in the case of widows. In my kingdom, I have abolished all the harmful burial rites, when I found out that it is women that subjected their follow women to these harmful cultures.”
According to her, 35 per cent of women globally have experienced physical and sexual violence, and women are under-represented in leadership.
The innovative change can only come from women because men are very self-centred in nature, she added, explaining that men think as individuals while women think holistically.
The convener, Mrs. Jewo Ibi, said the summit was to avail women, especially widows, the opportunity to train in agricultural technology.
“Today’s women will no longer be dependent. They will be independent and self-reliant. We are ready to train as many women that turn up,” she stated.
