Brenda Yufeh
20 June 2011
Widows from all the nooks and crannies of the country alongside authorities from six ministries gathered at the Conference Hall in Yaounde, on monday June 23, in a symposium to examine the situation of widows in Cameroon as well as seek ways to avoid the numerous physical and emotional atrocities some widows in the country face.
The symposium, organised by the Ministry of Women’s Empowerment and the Family, is within the framework of the first International Widow’s Day to be commemorated on June 23 under the patronage of the First Lady, Chantal Biya.
Before the Minister of Women’s Empowerment and the Family (MINPROFF), Marie-Therese Abena took to the podium to address the widows, they all sang a song revealing their togetherness and the common problems they face in their different walks of life. Marie-Therese Abena said majority of those who have lost their spouses are women and the management of problems faced by women calls for a multi-sector and participatory approach. This is why the symposium grouped authorities from different ministries such as the Ministries of Justice, Labour and Social Security, Finance, Social Affairs, Defence and the Public Service and Administrative Reforms.
MINPROFF boss said unlike other citizens, widows are still lagging behind in terms of education on their rights, training and access to resources necessary for daily life. Besides these undesirable conditions, Marie-Therese Abena said there are specific problems due to their status such as the dehumanising widowhood rites in some communities which at times are acts of vengeance and expiatory sanctions carried out on them according to the good or bad relationship they had with their in-laws when the husband was alive. Also, widows have difficulties in accessing the late husband’s pension and death benefits as well as the overwhelming weight of family responsibilities, etc.
The symposium was a forum to raise awareness on the problems widows face and also to reflect on the socio-anthropological, cultural, structural, legal and historical causes of these problems so as to guarantee respect for the human rights of widows. Recommendations by widows will serve as the basis for innovative policies in favour of orphans and widows in the country.
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