The Second Deputy Majority Whip has called for stronger legal protections and support systems for widows in Ghana, urging stakeholders to intensify efforts to eliminate harmful widowhood practices and safeguard the rights and dignity of widows.
Making a statement on the floor of Parliament to commemorate International Widows Day, observed annually on June 23, the lawmaker said the occasion serves as a reminder of the numerous challenges faced by millions of widows who often endure economic hardship, discrimination, social exclusion and abuse following the death of their spouses.
According to the Second Deputy Majority Whip, despite Ghana’s progress in promoting human rights and gender equality, many widows continue to suffer degrading and inhumane treatment that violates their fundamental rights and dignity.
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“In some communities, widows are subjected to degrading rituals, forced confinement during mourning periods, accusations of causing their husbands’ deaths and other harmful practices that have no place in a modern democratic society governed by the rule of law,” the lawmaker stated.
The Second Deputy Majority Whip also highlighted the persistent challenge of widows being denied their inheritance rights, noting that many are unlawfully deprived of access to their late husbands’ properties by family members, often due to ignorance of the law and entrenched cultural practices.
The lawmaker observed that in many cases, widows and their children are evicted from matrimonial homes and denied properties jointly acquired with their deceased spouses despite legal protections such as the Interstate Succession Act, 1985 (PNDC Law 111).
According to the statement, inadequate public awareness and the reluctance of some communities to abandon customs inconsistent with Ghana’s laws and constitutional provisions have contributed to the continued abuse of widows.
The Second Deputy Majority Whip therefore called for intensified public education on inheritance rights and legal remedies available to widows, describing knowledge of the law as one of the most effective tools for preventing exploitation and abuse.
The lawmaker urged the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), the Information Services Department, traditional authorities, religious leaders, civil society organisations and the media to embark on sustained public education campaigns aimed at promoting respect for widows’ rights and ending harmful widowhood practices.
The statement also called on relevant ministries, departments and agencies to strengthen support systems for widows through legal aid services, economic empowerment programmes, social protection interventions and improved access to education and healthcare for widows and their children.
“As a nation, we must ensure that the death of a husband does not become the beginning of suffering, humiliation and poverty for a widow,” the lawmaker said.
The Second Deputy Majority Whip reaffirmed Parliament’s commitment to justice, equality and the protection of vulnerable groups, urging all stakeholders to work together to build a Ghana where widows are protected by law, respected by society and empowered to live lives of dignity and fulfilment.