Rona Foundation Blogs

As the world marks International Women’s Day 2025, we reflect on progress and the work still needed. Kenya has made strides in women’s leadership, with historic appointments of the first female Chief Justice and Attorney General, and the 2022 election of three widows out of 4  women Members of the County Assembly (MCAs). I am honored to be one, serving as MCA, South East Alego. However, despite legal provisions for gender equality, systemic barriers persist. Widows remain among the most marginalized, facing economic, social, and legal challenges. We must accelerate action to ensure inclusion, dignity, and equal opportunities for all women, especially those often left behind.

In Siaya County, widowhood remains a silent crisis, deeply entangled in harmful cultural traditions, economic struggles, and legal exclusions. Many widows face land dispossession, eviction, and forced inheritance, leaving them homeless and unable to provide for their children. Practices like widow cleansing and forced remarriage violate their fundamental rights, stripping them of autonomy and dignity. Despite laws ensuring equal inheritance, entrenched traditions favor male relatives, leading to property disputes and economic destitution. Widowhood in Kenya is not just a personal loss—it is often a gateway to systemic social and economic exclusion that demands urgent intervention.

This International Women’s Day marks a new hope for widows in Siaya County. As both a widow and their legislator, I am championing the Siaya Widows Protection Bill 2024, now under review in County Assembly committees. This landmark bill aims to provide legal protection, economic empowerment, and social inclusion for widows, shielding them from harmful practices and creating opportunities for growth.

Key provisions include the Siaya County Widows Welfare Fund, offering financial assistance, vocational training, and targeted economic instruments. Additionally, the bill aims to establish a Widows Welfare Committee at ward and county level to oversee widow protection, ensure legal aid access, and guide policy implementation. A Directorate of Widows’ Affairs will also be formed to implement this law, enhance widows’ inclusion in county development structures.

While legislative protection is vital, transforming deeply ingrained social norms and attitudes toward widows is equally critical. Cultural beliefs and gender biases continue to fuel widow discrimination, making enforcement of laws challenging. Many law enforcement officers and judicial officials lack training in gender-sensitive interventions, often dismissing widow abuse as mere family disputes. Additionally, rural widows face economic barriers to justice, as the monetization of legal processes makes it nearly impossible to challenge human rights violations. Without education and awareness, even the most progressive laws risk remaining ineffective, leaving widows vulnerable to systemic marginalization and injustice. As we work to enact this law, complementing legal reforms, and engaging communities in dialogue to challenge oppressive traditions and promote widows’ rights remains a priority for all stakeholders. Law enforcement and judicial officials must be trained on widow protection laws, while justice must be made accessible through free legal aid, safe shelters, and crisis response mechanisms for widows’ facing violence or dispossession. Also, widows must be empowered to participate in leadership and decision-making. By breaking the silence, educating communities, and shifting mindsets, we can eradicate widow stigma and create a future where widows live with dignity, security, and equal opportunities.

As a widow legislator, my advocacy is deeply personal—I have lived the stigma, discrimination, and systemic barriers widows face. This fuels my unwavering commitment to ensuring the Siaya Widows Protection Bill 2024 becomes law and drives real change at the grassroots. Widowhood should not mean suffering—it must be met with support, empowerment, and dignity.

This International Women’s Day, my message is clear: widows deserve dignity, equality, and justice. As Siaya County legislators, we must accelerate action, enact this overdue law, and ensure no widow is left behind. The fight for widows’ rights is the fight for women’s rights. Together, we must transform widowhood into empowerment, hope, and systemic structures.

Hon. Masidis Scholastica Madowo
Member of County Assembly (MCA), South East Alego Ward, Siaya County