News
Under the aegis of the All Africa Conference of Churches, Africa’s churches are in the last stages of developing an advocacy toolkit to guide them in this challenge that confronts millions of women on the continent.
The toolkit will be launched on 25 November to coincide with the beginning of the annual 16 Days of Activism Campaign against Gender Based Violence.
The advocacy toolkit was subjected to a validation exercise yesterday by stakeholders from across Africa, at a meeting hosted by the All Africa Conference of Churches.
All Africa Conference of Churches director for Gender and Women, Rev. Dr Lydia Mwaniki, said the advocacy toolkit will act as a guide in influencing decisions on the rights of widows to improve their lives.
“This toolkit will be applicable to the entire ecumenical movement as a resource for building a structured approach for sustained advocacy on the rights of widows,” she said.
The toolkit is part of an All Africa Conference of Churches campaign dubbed Justice for Widows.
According to the All Africa Conference of Churches, many widows, especially in some African societies, are subjected to dehumanising practices due to cultural norms and beliefs. This robs them of their rights and dignity, portraying them as less than human.