Religious and political leaders want stronger support and economic empowerment for widows, citing persistent challenges such as property grabbing, poverty, discrimination, and limited access to education for their children.
The call was made during the commemoration of International Widows’ Day held yesterday, at the Diocese of Lango headquarters in Boroboro, Lira City.
The event brought together widows, church leaders, government officials, and development partners under the theme “Justice, Dignity and Economic Empowerment for Widows.”
Speaking as the chief guest, Kabale District Woman Member of Parliament Enid Origumisiriza said widows continue to face numerous hardships, many of which arise after the death of a spouse.
She identifies property grabbing by relatives of deceased husbands as one of the most common forms of injustice suffered by widows across Uganda.
Origumisiriza, herself a widow, notes that poverty and limited access to education for children of widows remain major concerns, calling on government, community leaders, and development partners to support affected families.
Lango Diocese has around 1,500 registered widows.
According to Bishop Olwa, the Diocese has established structures from parish to diocesan level through its health department to create awareness, offer counselling, and mobilize support for such vulnerable members of society.
He says the Church annually commemorates Widows’ Day as a platform for prayer, encouragement, and awareness creation.
By URN
Leave a Reply