The Minister for Gender, Children and Social protection, Otiko Afisa Djaba has said that under no circumstance should a woman lose her source of livelihood after losing her husband.

“it is common in many communities in Ghana that widowhood represent “social death” of women, it is not just that they have lost their husbands but widowhood robs them of their status and consigns them to have every margins of society where they suffer the most extreme forms of discrimination and stigma” she added

Speaking at the 10th National Widows Alliance conference in Accra on June 23rd, the Minister said widows across the country are in limbo and no longer have any protection.

According to her, many widows are among the poorest people in our society which makes them vulnerable to harassment, exploitation and denial of rights to property among other things.

“In many communities in Ghana, some widows become outcast and are often vulnerable to physical, sexual and mental abuse” she said

In her view, the experience widows go through has not only to do with the grief of losing a loved one but the loss of their position in the family which in many cases results in their utter abandonment, destitution and dishonor.

Read full speech below: