Statement on the 2014 International Widows Day Commemorations

Issue Date: 23 June 2014

Today, 23 June 2014, Widows Empowerment Trust joins the rest of the world in commemorating the International Widows Day, remembering all the widows that have passed away, celebrating those who are alive as well as identifying with all those who have been victims of all forms of abuse and discrimination orchestrated to subjugate the rights and livelihood of Widows in the world in general and in Zimbabwe in particular.

As we commemorate the International Widows Day in Zimbabwe today, we note with concern the continued discrimination and violation of the rights of widows especially through cultural practises and social exclusion. We note the following violations that widows are subjected to in the various communities of Zimbabwe:

1. Dispossession of property, land and inheritance rights,

2. Dispossession of children,

3. Rampant accusation of witchcraft and prostitution allegations,

4. Forced participation in inhuman, degrading and diabolic traditional rites

5. Deliberate exclusion from social, economic, development and leadership processes,

6. Sexual abuse of young widows,

7. Forced wife inheritance.

All these conditions and many others contribute to the underdevelopment, marginalization, abuse and discrimination of the rights of widows thus rendering them susceptible to gross levels of poverty.

As we commemorate this day in Zimbabwe, recognizing the constitutional rights of widows in Zimbabwe we call on the government of Zimbabwe, churches, donor community and the civic society to adopt mechanisms to improve the welfare and promote the rights of widows in Zimbabwe.

1. We call on the government of Zimbabwe to:

a) Establish a Widows Empowerment Programme in the office of the Vice President,

b) Abolish the Tsikamtanda cult practise in rural areas which has been false accusing widows on witchcraft allegations,

c) The Parliament of Zimbabwe to enact laws that promote and defend the rights of widows,

d) Outlaw all forms of abuse of widows.

2. We call on the Zimbabwean Traditional and local leadership to: a) Abolish all family and traditional norms, practises and systems that perpetuate the abuse of widows,

b) Ensure the inclusion of widows in local level development and empowerment mechanisms,

c) Protect widows from any form of child, material, land and inheritance dispossessions.

3. We call on all Churches to establish widows departments/ministries within their churches so as to cater for the welfare and rights of widows.

4. We further call on all funding organizations, embassies and development agencies in Zimbabwe to establish mechanisms of specifically funding widows' empowerment mechanisms at local levels.

All the above mentioned calls are premised on the understanding that when a woman loses her husband she should not lose her rights and status in community as a human being. Furthermore, we are convinced that when a woman loses her husband, she does not lose her mind, her abilities, her capacities, her capabilities and her talents.

Our theme for the year 2014 in Zimbabwe is: "Inspiring Change - Justice for Widows Now". Through this theme we are calling on various stakeholders to inspire their communities to change their attitudes towards the widows and we also call on various stakeholders to uphold and ensure justice for the rights of widows.

(Widows Empowerment Trust is a registered non profit organization operating in Zimbabwe, based in Bulawayo, that exists to advocate and promote the empowerment of widows in Zimbabwe. The organization is currently involved in four major programme:

1. The Strengthening Widows' Advocacy and Rights Mechanisms (SWARM);

2. The Sustainable Livelihoods Initiative for Development (SLID);

3. The Widows Rights Awareness Programme (WRAP); and

4. The Widows Counselling Programme.