The Union of African Widows will hold the first ever African Widows Summit in Zanzibar, Tanzania from June 20 to 22.
The conference, first to also hold in Africa, themed “Women in Widowhood: Reforming the African Space,” is a pioneering initiative to converge stakeholders to address the pressing issues widows across the continent face.
Organisers also said the historic event would draw thousands of participants, including African and international delegates.
According to the organisers, the events at the summit will provide a platform for meaningful dialogue and sharing experiences among widows, policymakers, widow’s rights advocates and decision-makers dedicated to advancing the widowhood agenda in Africa.
Speakers at the summit would include widows, women’s rights NGOs, presidents, heads of governments and states, first ladies, officials from UN Women, UN Women Africa, African Union, Gender and Justice Ministry Officials and other key stakeholders from around the world.
Hope Nwakwesi, president of the group, emphasised the summit’s significance, stating, “Widows are often excluded and forgotten in national discussions and planning. This summit is a pioneering initiative to spotlight and address the critical issues faced by widows across the African continent and to provide political leadership, recommendations, and guidance on the widow’s agenda within the African Union.”
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Meanwhile, President of Zanzibar, Dr. Hussein Ali Mwinyi, has expressed the government’s commitment to advocating for widow’s rights and underscored the summit’s role in addressing the challenges faced by widows.
“We feel responsible to help widows. Therefore, this is an opportunity to discuss widows’ challenges and ways to address them and increase the African Widows Union global visibility,” Mwinyi told the summit organisers who visited his office recently in Zanzibar.
The summit will feature a robust programme over three days, including keynote addresses, panel discussions, workshops, side events, a movie premiere, and cultural events, all aimed at fostering collaboration and innovation for tangible solutions to the lives of widows.
Rose Sarwart, Secretary of the African Widows Union, said the 2024 summit was positioned as a transformative platform for sharing best practices, engaging in meaningful conversations, and driving actionable outcomes to positively impact the lives of widows across the continent.
“The summit is beneficial for the widows of Zanzibar and is one of the ways for them to be recognised legally by our government,” Tabia Makame Mohammed, the host country representative, also said.
