Foundation advocates for legislation to protect widows
As part of efforts to help widows overcome grief and achieve their dreams, the ONE J Foundation has advocated for a legislation that will facilitate their reintegration into the society and safeguard their rights. The Abuja based foundation, which operates on a four-prong approach of counseling widows to overcome grief, advising, rehabilitating and empowering them […]
Volunteer health workers screen widows during ONE J Foundation’s International Widows Day celebration in Abuja recently.
As part of efforts to help widows overcome grief and achieve their dreams, the ONE J Foundation has advocated for a legislation that will facilitate their reintegration into the society and safeguard their rights.
The Abuja based foundation, which operates on a four-prong approach of counseling widows to overcome grief, advising, rehabilitating and empowering them to live meaningful lives after their spouses deaths, wants government to make laws that will give widows a sense of inclusiveness.
Executive Director of ONE J, Offiong Archibong, who made the call in an interview with City News in Abuja, said a law to protect widows from harmful cultural, religious and traditional practices, would help in no small measure in reintegrating them into the society.
“Let us have cultures, religious practices and traditions that are fair to women, especially widows. A uniform treatment for women and men is what we should have in our laws,” she said.
She said civil societies were working hard to organise rights advocacy for widowhood in the country and advised widows not to go down the drain of grief, that they should always look up to the brighter side of life.
Archibong also said her foundation empowered over 200 widows as part of this year’s international Widows Day celebration in Abuja last Friday.
She said the women were given empowerment grants of up to N50, 000 for start-ups after undergoing skills training at the foundation.
She explained that the training holds quarterly at the foundation’s office in Apo, where women are trained in various skills that would improve their economic fortunes and help them live fulfilling lives.
She said a free health screening was also done for the widows to help them deal with high Blood Pressure (BP) and other diseases associated with widowhood.