Gender Minister calls for end to harmful widowhood practices

Mrs Cynthia Morrison, the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection has called on the citizenry to join forces to stop harmful widowhood rights and practices to preserve the human rights of women.

Widows, she said, faced a lot of predicaments after the death of their spouses, as some are forced to take their children out of school to enable them to take care of siblings and housework.

A statement from the Ministry to the Ghana News Agency said this showcased gross gender inequality.

The statement quoted the Minister as saying: “Widowhood is no respecter of age, it is not expected but creeps in on you without warning, leaving you at the mercy of struggle and poverty.”

She said this as the nation joined the rest of the world to celebrate the International Widows’ Day, a day set for the world to reflect on poverty and injustices faced by widows and their dependants.

“On this day, we take time to assess the economic, social and legal protection systems that seek to discriminate against widows as far as our nation is concerned,” she said.

According to the statement, some widows were alleged to be witches after the death of their spouses which was an infringement on their human right and called for a stop to be put to it.

“On this International Widows’ Day, I would like us to remember that widows are heroes working hard to keep their families, communities and societies together, following the loss of their spouses,” she said.

“As a society, we owe it to the widows of the world to give them the respect, visibility and the unique support they and their children need. The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection stands with you this very day,” she added.