Widowhood is arguably one of life’s most traumatic experiences. Its impact may take a toll on the individual in diverse ways. From loss of physical weight to mental and psychological imbalance. This period may also be characterized by isolation, self-denials, hallucination and frequent crying. Recovery from this state of unwellness may also differ from person to person depending on the level of support received.

Typically, the bereavement process is accompanied by accusations and cultural practices which are rituals harmful to the widow. One of the horrendous nightmares that may confront a woman at the death of her husband in various African cultures is the usual scandalous accusation from the deceased husband’s relations. A widow is very likely to be accused of having a hand in her husband’s death irrespective of how peacefully they might have lived.

In Nigeria and most parts of Africa where the society typically favors patriarchy and much of a woman’s worth is mainly tied to her husband, the loss of her spouse may suddenly plunge a widow to ridicule, stigmatization, destitution and poverty. These are often the long-term effects of harmful cultural practices characterized by gender-based violence.

According to statistics by the United Nations, there are about 258 million widows around the world and one in every ten is believed to live in extreme poverty, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. Recent statistics also suggest Nigeria is home to about 15 million widows. Although while widow treatment may differ from culture to culture, Nigeria’s patriarchal system largely sees the widow suffer varied forms of deprivation and discrimination which largely contravenes the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), the Violence Against Persons Prohibition (VAPP) Act and other international conventions and treaties.

It is with the foregoing in mind that Hands of God Widows Support Initiative (HOGWIN) looks to explore various themes of widowhood and its practices through the narratives of widows from various Nigerian cultures in a tell-it-all expository documentary film. With the working title Breaking the silence, the documentary will seek to explore and share the experiences of widows and herald their stories of resilience while fighting for survival and protection of their dependent children.

It is hoped that this documentary will become a global tool of advocacy and awareness to end stigmatization of widows and recognizing their rights as part of human rights towards the global demand for gender equality.

With production scheduled to kick off in January 2024, Hands of God Widows Support Initiative (HOGWIN) seeks funding support to help bring this project to fruition and ready for premiere on June 23, 2024- International Widows Day.

Nigeria’s progress towards meeting the SDGs may be threatened if harmful cultural practices against widowhood are not eliminated as gender inequality has been closed linked to slow economic growth.