Yakin Ertürk, Director, UN Division for the Advancement of
Women: supporting our conference in 2001
.... "The issues which widows generally face and those encountered by women in developing countries are cause for serious concern. The situation of widows should continue to be featured on the international fora until they become firmly integrated into the policy agenda.
A WIDO Case Study
Mrs E. is the second wife of late Mr E. who died in 1999. She has been disposed
of her farm land and economic trees assigned to her children by her late husband
Mr E.
Her step son B (the son of the first wife) who is now the head of the family
has been the major party in the dispute.
B. claims that Mrs E. deserted her husband and her matrimonial home years before
her husband died. Mrs E. denies this and claims that she left after a very serious
quarrel with her husband and after being beaten up by B. However she returned
after her husband died and observed the traditional mourning rites in her matrimonial
home. Thereafter she was unwelcome and her two sons were forcefully taken away
from her. She decided to return to her father’s compound. 
WiDO sent out the Vanguard team to verify the allegations on both sides. This
was followed by letters to B. concerning the unlawful custody of Mrs E’s
children. He replied by writing a fake letter pretending to be from Mrs E’s
daughter who denied writing the letter.
WiDO has since been able to get her two sons back. One was discovered to be disabled
after the people he was sent to live with physically abused him. He is now unable
to walk properly.
Mrs E. currently lives in a poor place made of sticks and with a thatch roof.
On his barrister’s advice, B. was in favour of an amicable settlement of
the matter. B and his brother have agreed to hand over a portion of land and
economic trees to Mrs E. An agreement was drawn up by the lawyer for all parties
to sign.
In September 2005, the papers were signed by B. and his brother, on one hand
and by Mrs E. on the other hand In the presence of the lawyer and the Vanguard
team. Then after further help from the Church and of Mrs E. brother, B. handed
over a large parcel of land to Mrs E. under our supervision. In total Mrs E.
got two plots of land and thirty two palm trees.
Another WIDO Case Study
Mrs. C. came to WiDO in November, 2004 to report that she was homeless because of disputes with her husband’s family. Before his death in 2002.relations were unsatisfactory because he constantly brought girls to the house, and ordered her to sleep on the floor while he slept on the bed with the girls. At a meeting with welfare officers, her late husband had accused her of flirting with other men and denied that he was unfaithful and the paternity of their daughter.
Before his death, it had been agreed that Mrs C. would stay in the matrimonial
home while he worked on and lived in a new house that was being built. On completion
of the work, the younger brother of her late husband refused her access to
the house and threatened to kill her, forcing her to sleep outside for three
days. Because of these disputes, Mrs C. went to stay with her parents.
.
In 2002, her husband became ill and pleaded with her to return to the matrimonial
home, but her parents would not allow her to return. After his death, none
of his relative came to inform her. Her son told her and when she went to the
house, his sisters refused her access until his remains were brought home for
burial.
After the burial rites, she was instructed by her late husband’s elder brother to go back to her parent’s house, but her elder brother and her son pleaded with her to undergo the full mourning rites, which she did. After these rituals, her late husband’s sister warned her not to come into her matrimonial house and asked the family members to threaten her with machetes and sticks, describing her as an enemy. Her husband’s elder brother then stated that, as the next of kin, everything that belonged to his late brother was his. This included a house, a car and two motor-cycles. Social welfare officials had also decided that the late husband’s salary should be divided into three so that his family members could have a share, but did not deal with the question of the new house.
Mrs C. came to complain to WiDO. Her children, her husband’s property
and her life were at stake. The Vanguard team went to speak to the Traditional
ruler and in-laws. WiDO decided to approach a lawyer for assistance.
Eventually in October 2005 agreement papers were signed allowing Mrs C. to
move back in her matrimonial home with her children after several months of
neglect, abandonment and disinheritance.