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 Conference 6th February 2001 Monica Mhoja Land
& Property Rights of Widows: Case Study of Inheritance Customary
Laws in Tanzania
İEmpowering
Widows |
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Widows without Rights Conference
After
introductory remarks by Kate Young, Chair of EWD, the Conference
was formally opened by Baroness Sally Greengross, former Director-General
of Age Concern and now Chair of the International Longevity Centre
UK, Secretary-General of Eurolink Age, and Vice President for Europe
of the International Federation on Ageing.
Lady Greengross was a founder Trustee of EWD. Before joining EWD, she shared the common assumption that widows are always older women, but soon learnt that many are younger women and some even children. Many face extreme poverty and prejudice. Through EWD, and in her travels for Age Concern, she became aware of the stigma, isolation and punishment meted out to widows in Africa and Asia, and she was proud to be associated with the EWD advocacy initiative aimed at raising awareness of the situation of widows and at enabling widows to help themselves. The prevalence of AIDS and armed conflict has increased the numbers of widows and made their plight even worse as already inadequate systems of social security and family support break down. Nor is the problem restricted to the developing countries. There are large numbers of widows in Bosnia and Kosovo, and in the former Soviet Union, male life expectancy has fallen sharply and the number of widows has increased and will probably increase further. Lady
Greengross hoped that the conference would raise awareness in the
international community of the appalling poverty and stigma faced
by widows. Widows need to be able to have a strong voice and become
truly empowered. This meeting would help by providing the facts
about widows' condition around the world, and success stories which
would help develop strategies for the future.
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