“Widowhood should not close doors for women,” says Nguvu Change Leader Emma Mong’ute

She is calling for policy shifts so that financial support for widows is not considered charity, but a basic right

Across Kenya, countless widows are stripped of dignity and rights the moment they lose their spouses. From forced evictions and property seizures to deeply harmful widowhood rites, the injustice widows face is entrenched in culture, law, and silence.

These women are not only grieving; they are also fighting for survival in a society that turns its back when they need it most. 

Read: The Road to True Universal Healthcare: Prioritizing Disabilities, Dignity, and Mental Health

International Widows Day (June 23) is a UN-ratified day of action to address the “poverty and injustice faced by millions of widows and their dependents in many countries.” 

While grassroots organisations like the Rona Foundation are working to advance widow rights and improve access to justice, education, healthcare, and essential services, a lot more needs to be done.

Widows continue to face economic precarity, social exclusion, and violence all underpinned by weak legal protections and entrenched gender norms.

“Widowhood should not close doors for women,” says Emma Mong’ute, a change leader with Nguvu Collective and the founder of the Amandla MEK Foundation. Mong’ute is resolutely working towards empowering women through leadership development, social welfare and entrepreneurship programs.

Passionate about gender equality and social justice, she says, “Amandla means “Power” in Zulu and we aim to provide mentorship and psycho-social support to widows, girls and vulnerable women.

We are helping them to develop skills and confidence to be able to thrive in a patriarchal society. Widows in particular need access to seed grants and low-interest loans to start small businesses and become self-reliant.”

She has launched an online campaign as well to call for policy shifts so that financial support for widows is not considered as charity, but a basic right.

As she says, ” The Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), a global intergovernmental body focused on gender equality has addressed the needs of widows through the lens of gender equality and empowerment.

In Kenya too, we need government policies that recognise widow’s rights and guarantee their financial and social inclusion.

Do you want to be published? Email info@thedailywhistle.co.ke or Whatsapp 0721930260