The Speaker of the Anambra State House of Assembly, Somtochukwu Udeze, on Friday, urged lawmakers in the country to enact stricter and stronger legislation to protect widows.
Udeze also called on traditional institutions in the country to accord widows in their respective communities the necessary protection and support.
The speaker, while felicitating widows in the state as they mark this year’s International Widow’s Day, called on traditional rulers in the state to abrogate all obnoxious and barbaric laws as well as other related practices against widows.
He noted that widows should be allowed to coexist with other members of the communities without hindrances. He restated that laws enacted by the state legislature to prohibit barbaric widowhood practices were still in force, warning perpetrators to desist from engaging in the maltreatment of widows.
“Widows should be allowed to co-exist with others without hindrances. I also appealed to affluent citizens to contribute to the upkeep and general well-being of widows in their midst by instituting various empowerment programmes for them to better their conditions,” Udeze added.
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