Conference Explores Widow Abuse in Cameroon

Originally published April 3, 2006 in The Herald

The Gender Mainstreaming and Networking Organisation (GEMANO) a woman's equality non-governmental organisation, completed a three-day conference on widowhood rights and domestic violence last Friday. The conference was attended by several high ranking officials in a variety of fields, reflecting the multi-faceted nature of the problems facing widows in Cameroon.

Sally Weriwoh, president of the Yaounde-based GEMANO, said that widows in Cameroon are consistently denied their basic human rights when they are forced to endure cruel traditional practices. Examples of widow mistreatment include forced drinking of water used to cleanse the husband's corpse, not being allowed to bathe for the duration of the mourning period, the levirate rights which force the widows into marrying a relative of the husband, loss of property, and forced separation of children. The worst cases can result in death, torture, and permanent psychological trauma.

Gathering to fight this problem was a group of 25 professionals. They included magistrates, lawyers, psychologists, councillors, doctors, members of the gendarmie, police comissioners, social workers, and educationalists. Justice Mbale Goethe of the supreme court opened the conference as a representative of the National Commission for Human Rights and Freedoms.

The primary aim of the conference was to identify the causes of widow abuse and develop a plan of action for combating the problem. The conference members concluded that the abuses were a result of inhuman traditional practices and ignorance of human rights on the part of widows. Most often these practices are enforced by women who have themselves undergone the process of traditional widowhood. Weriwoh said that these practices should stop because they violate human rights, which are enshrined in Cameroonian and international law.

Efforts at correcting the problem are going to be directed at raising awareness among women of their rights and what to do when their rights are violated. According to Weriwoh, women have the right to say no to inhuman practices. They are entitled to mourn their husband however they want and should not be forced into anything by family or community members. Furthermore, they are entitled to the husband's property in a monogamous marriage and cannot be forced to remarry.

Educating women on these rights is the first step in the campaign. GEMANO plans to use all available means of communication including CRTV, primary and secondary school visits, and direct education in all ten provinces. Weriwoh wanted to further emphasise that there are institutions available to help women who feel that their rights are being violated. She listed the ministry of women's empowerment, the police, NGOs like GEMANO, the courts, and the national commission on human rights. She emphasised that women should not suffer because they are protected by the law.

The conference members acknowledged that ending widow abuse will not happen overnight, but they are optimistic that with improved education and awareness women will be empowered to insist on their human rights. It is their hope that in time Cameroon will become a country where every person, widows included, are treated fairly and equally.

Ending Child Poverty

Originally published June 15, 2006 for the Center for American Progress

Governments can effectively decrease child poverty by implementing progressive policies. This message was bought to the Center for American Progress on Wednesday by The Right Honorable John Hutton, M.P. and Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in the United Kingdom.

Hutton joined Peter Edelman, professor of law at Georgetown University, on a panel entitled “Ending Child Poverty: The United Kingdom’s Commitment, the United States’ Challenge.” Using the example from Britain’s success in reducing child poverty by 17% since a government commitment to the problem in 1999, Hutton relayed strategies for success and lessons learned.

Both Hutton and Edelman agree that empowering families through work is critical for ending child poverty. Effective policies include raising the minimum wage, family tax credits, improving employment adjustment for those that lose their jobs, and increasing public investment in income equivalents like health care, child care, and housing. Implementing these policies within a framework of specifically defined targets helps to make them politically effective.

According to Hutton, the central issue is building the right incentives for work while also having a meaningful social safety net. “It’s a bad thing to have millions of people on welfare. It’s a sign of economic weakness.” It is a sign of economic strength, he said, to have full employment and a system that helps those that cannot help themselves.

Child poverty creates far-ranging consequences for society, and early intervention can prevent problems later in life. Hutton and Edelman cite education as a key area for breaking the long-term poverty cycle. Hutton noted the “important role of education in breaking down barriers to social mobility.” Ample data suggests that impoverished children are less likely to be successful in school, more likely to have low-paying jobs, and more likely to commit crimes. Tackling child poverty means developing solutions that involve all levels of government, according to Edelman. “This is not just a matter of federal responsibility, but the federal government is not doing enough.”

Hutton places child poverty within the larger context of globalization. Rapid changes in the global economy resonate throughout our societies, and we face a choice. “Do we want to progress together, grow together,” he asked, “or do we want to grow apart?” As the future character of the North Atlantic democracies is shaped, successfully tackling poverty is part of the answer. “We are a decent society,” said Hutton, “and poverty is an insult.”