Noeleen Heyzer, Executive Director, UNIFEM: (The United Nations Development Fund for Women) supporting our conference in 2001
....In the context of our efforts to advance the full realisation of women's human rights and the elimination of all forms of violence against women, the special concerns of widows are of paramount concern to UNIFEM.
WOP (Woman Of Purpose), an African Partner, Uganda
GRACE' S STORY
My husband died and left me with two children. He had been sick on and off
but strong enough to dig. To survive. Then one time he became very sick
for we used to grow cassava; millet, cotton and we were able only a few days
and died. I believe he was poisoned because his stomach swell and his skin
turned very dark. 
The most terrible thing that can happen to any woman is to lose a husband. I live with my widowed mother-in-law in the same compound. Life is hard; it was my late husband who was supporting both of us. The biggest problem I have is accommodation. My house is in a bad state. My husband had intended to repair it but unfortunately, he fell sick before he did it.
When my husband passed away, the Director and the Co-ordinator of Woman of Purpose came to pay their condolences to the family and me. When they saw the state of my house, they promised that through the project HOPE FOR WIDOWS, they would help me with the repair of the roof. I am very grateful because the roof was repaired before the heavy rains started, otherwise, the whole house would have fallen down.
I am also happy that they were able to talk to my late husband's relatives
about the rights of widows and told them that they should support me as much
as they can. I am happy with this organisation and I hope that they will help
many widows because there are a lot of problems faced by widows. A few weeks
after my husband's death, I discovered that I was pregnant. Now I am quite
heavy with another child and I do not know what to do but I will just leave
everything to God. I do not want to think a lot about the future. Sometimes
I wish I had also died but again when I think of my children I pray to God
to keep me so that I can bring them up. I have seen many orphans suffering
a lot and I would not like my children to suffer like that.
Even if I cannot
give them much, we shall survive with the little I get. My mother-in-law is
a good woman, she is a Christian. She helps me care for the children when I
go to dig. We cook together and eat whatever we can. I pray she remains like
that.
Sometimes when the husband dies, everyone turns against the widow - adding hurt to injury.
From WRI Newsletter 5 - Full copies of the Newsletter available from WRI
office