OGUN REITERATES SUPPORT, EMPOWERMENT FOR WIDOWS

The Ogun State government has reiterated it's commitment to continually ensure that all widows in the state are empowered through various empowerment programs such as provision of micro credit scheme, as well as vocational training and mobile skill. 

The Hon. Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Mrs Funmi Efuwape made this assurance at the 2021 International Widows Days with the theme: Invisible Women, Invisible Problem, held at Conference Hotel,  Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.

Efuwape said "for many widows around the world, loosing their husbands also means loosing their income, rights and possibly their children as well, therefore, International Widows Day is a time to reflect as well as create awareness about challenges of widows worldwide and help to provide succor to widows".

Speaking on the theme, she said it tends to highlight the fact that for many societies, a woman's identity is attached to her partner and after his death, the problems faced by her were ignored by policy-makers who would not give any special attention to the widow, adding that the day was set aside to create awareness about the situation of widows across the world; empower them, and safeguard their rights.

The commissioner noted that coping with COVID 19 have been particularly devastating for many women who have lost their partners and were struggling to take care of their children, this has compounded social and economic issues faced by widows and must be brought to the foremost so that their voices could be heard.

Some of the representatives of widows across the twenty local  governments in the state were there after empowered with refrigerators,  Gas cookers, Hairdressers' equipments  among  others, while others were informed on how to access NIRSAL Microfinance Bank Loans, as well as CBN Loans and Fund Intervention for Small and Medium Enterprises.