The Social and
Economic Challenges Faced by Widows
The multifaceted challenges faced by widows are significant, both socially and economically, and often render these women marginalized, if not destitute. Losing a husband not only brings the anguish of loss and grief but can also begin a series of grinding miseries: eviction, the loss of all rights to property and even social stigma. The dire situation of a widow is compounded in Asia and Africa where cultural norms and economic insecurity make them particularly vulnerable.
For example, widows in South Asia are often stigmatized and accused of causing their husbands’ deaths. They may be stripped of their land by their in-laws and thrown out of their homes. They cannot get access to education or employment and have very few means of supporting their own children.[1] In Africa, widows lose their property rights and are subject to dehumanizing rituals. Widows in Nigeria are stigmatized as witches and coerced into rites that falsely accuse them of being responsible for their situations, thereby adding more pain to the grief they are already experiencing.[2]
UN and World Bank Statistics
The global statistics for widowhood are horrifying. According to the United Nations, nearly one in ten widows live in extreme poverty.[3] In South Asia, more than 19 million widows face severe economic suffering, earning less than $2 a day.[4] The World Bank has reported that marriage provides the only way for women in many African countries to gain social and economic rights, which frequently evaporate when a woman loses her husband. These widows are then vulnerable to exploitation and abuse in a society where they have no legal rights or social provision.[5] Even in developed nations, the loss of a spouse is ranked by The American Institute of Stress as the most stressful of all life events.[6] In some cultures, the ramifications of widowhood are quite simply horrific.
One Widow’s Story: Facing Eviction, Loss of Property and Social Stigma
Personal experiences of widows detailing their plight help paint a clearer picture of the harsh realities these women face. Christiana, a widow from Nigeria, was blamed for her husband’s death and labeled a witch; she was mercilessly harassed by her in-laws. [7] A middle-aged widow in Nepal was blamed for her husband’s death and then accused of causing the death of a buffalo―leading her to be subsequently abused by the community, whose members beat and tortured her.[8] These are not isolated stories but illustrative of many others that demonstrate the grave extent of situations where widows are cruelly accused and left abandoned, without the slightest measure of support.
The socio-economic hardships suffered by widows expose the brokenness in our world. But there is hope even in the midst of darkness. Thanks to the partnership of GFA World and compassionate, supportive friends like you, widows are being given hope again. This means that by giving financially to help provide for these women, you can fill a need for immediate support while also planting seeds of hope which will yield much fruit for future generations.
Your partnership is vital in this mission to deliver hope and transformation to some of the most broken women in the world. Are you willing to take a stand for widows today?
[1] GFA World. “‘Forgotten Outcasts’ in Asia to Be Helped on International Widows Day Says Gospel for Asia.” June 23, 2019. https://gfanews.org/press-releases/gospel-for-asia-to-aid-forgotten-outcasts-in-asia-on-international-widows-day-june-23/.
2] Sunday, Orji. “In a Country Where Widows Are Witches.” Ms. Magazine, May 25, 2017. https://msmagazine.com/2017/05/25/country-widows-witches/.
[3] “International Widows’ Day.” United Nations. Accessed July 26, 2024. https://www.un.org/en/observances/widows-day.
[4] Ken Walker of InChrist Communications. “Coronavirus Intensifies Hardships for Widows.” GFA World, June 17, 2021. https://www.gfa.org/special-report/widows-worldwide-face-tragedy-discrimination/#:~:text=The%20following%20facts%20show%20a%20sampling%20of%20what%20widows%20face%20in%20this%20part%20of%20the%20world%3A.
[5] World Bank Group. “Invisible and Excluded: The Fate of Widows and Divorcees in Africa.” World Bank Group, January 19, 2018. https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2018/01/20/invisible-and-excluded-the-fate-of-widows-and-divorcees-in-africa.
[6] “The Holmes-Rahe Stress Inventory.” The American Institute of Stress. Accessed July 26, 2024. https://www.stress.org/holmes-rahe-stress-inventory.
[7] Sunday, Orji. “In a Country Where Widows Are Witches.” Ms. Magazine. May 25, 2017. https://msmagazine.com/2017/05/25/country-widows-witches/.
[8] World Pulse. “Situation and Challenges Faced by Widows in My Community.” Accessed August 13, 2024. https://www.worldpulse.org/story/situation-and-challenges-faced-by-widows-in-my-community-4240.