DEPRIVATION OF WIDOWS INHERITANCE RIGHT BY THEIR HUSBANDS RELATIVES: A SURVEY OF ITS IMPACT

DEPRIVATION OF WIDOWS INHERITANCE RIGHT BY THEIR HUSBANDS RELATIVES: A SURVEY OF ITS IMPACT

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

A lady whose spouse has passed away is known as a widow (Catherine Soanes 2001). Widowhood is the status of having lost one's spouse due to the death of that spouse. In many civilizations, the problem of widows has been a major societal concern for a long time. In these communities, the husband is generally the primary provider for the family. If he were to pass away unexpectedly, it may put his family into dire financial straits. Not only is there a lack of money, but there is also a lack of companionship. If a couple is living together, having everything in common, purchasing property together, and sharing things in common, and then along the way death just sneaks in and steals the husband, the life span of the woman is definitely going to be shorter (Catherine Soanes 2001).

According to Babatunde and Owasanoye (ed), in some patriarchal civilizations widows are able to preserve their economic independence. A widow has the ability to continue running the business her late husband started, and as a result, she is entitled to certain rights, such as the claim to her late husband's wealth and property.

According to Okoye (1999), in the communities of Nsukka, widows are frequently the victims of human cultural practices. These practices involve the denial of the rights that widows are legally entitled to possess. According to Widows' rights international (2008), the manner in which widows are treated continues to violate their fundamental human rights. Widows in many regions of Africa are still subject to traditional customs that result in their poverty, social ostracism and marginalization, and the loss of their houses and children. In some of these cases, the widows also lose their children. Okoye (1999) pointed out that in many cultures widows have no right to inheriting property or owning land, and even in countries where modern legislation provides such rights, ignorance of the law of widows or cultural practices impede their access to it. This is true even in countries where modern legislation provides such rights. The majority of these deprivations have a significant influence on the quality of life of widows.

Impact is defined as an effect or influence that is easily observable on anything (Catherine Soanes 2001). The following is a list of some of the effect that being destitute has on widows as highlighted by Catherine Soanes (2001):

1. Poverty: A woman is left destitute when her husband dies across the wide spectrum of countries, religions, and ethnic groups. Poverty is often made worse by having little or no access to other economic resources, as well as by illiteracy or a lack of education. 2. Violence: Violence against women is prevalent in many parts of the world.

2. Violence against women is one of the most pervasive forms of violation of human rights, and it affects widows of all different cultural backgrounds. There is no exception for widows, and in fact, they may face an especially elevated danger of physical assault.

3. The children of widows are frequently damaged, both emotionally and financially, as a result of their mothers' passing. Widows who are now responsible for providing for their kids on their own are frequently compelled to pull their children out of school and rely on them for manual labor. In addition, the daughters of widows are more likely to endure several forms of hardship, which increases their susceptibility to maltreatment.

4. A surviving widow may be held responsible for the debts incurred by her late husband. Even organizations who are concerned with the violation of human rights are failing to acknowledge this grave violation of the human rights of widows and the children they have left behind. These therefore, necessitate this study.

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