Widowhood practices in West Africa: the silent victims

This article discusses the plight and suffering of widows in terms of their social, economic, psychological and human rights violations in three West African societies. The article describes the situation of the widows as silent victims who suffer cruel and dehumanising cultural and ritual practices...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:International journal of social welfare 2002-07, Vol.11 (3), p.201-209
Main Author: Sossou, Marie-Antoinette
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Africa
consciousness-raising
Death Rituals
empowerment
Gender differentiation
gender inequality
Human Rights
Human rights violations
Sexual Inequality
Social welfare
Victimization
West Africa
Widowhood
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Description
Summary:This article discusses the plight and suffering of widows in terms of their social, economic, psychological and human rights violations in three West African societies. The article describes the situation of the widows as silent victims who suffer cruel and dehumanising cultural and ritual practices as a mourning process for their dead spouses. The article also examines the gender inequalities suffered by the widows and makes some recommendations as to how these practices could be minimised or eliminated from those societies.
ISSN:1369-6866
1468-2397
DOI:10.1111/1468-2397.00217