The naming ceremony among the ewes a tribe in ghana from the volta region is known as vinehedego. Ghanaian youth challenged to stand against widowhood rites. In the case of widows, this fact is often ignored or forgotten. The issue of widowhood rites, which has been described as one of the most dehumanising, uncivilised and negative cultural practices in the world, due to its associated violation of the rights of women, is still rife in some parts of the three northern regions of ghana. Ghana, widows are forced to remain constantly with. Sometimes, tradition and religion are merged to ensure that both culture and religious practice were.
The impact of widowhood rite on the ghanaian woman in the new millennium. Evenson university of north carolina aaron aragaki fred hutchinson cancer research center sylvia wassertheilsmoller albert einstein college of medicine charles p. Chapter 2 cultural practices affecting women in ghana. Citing obis manual of customary law, eze and nwebo observed further that. Witchcraft, widowhood rites and female genital mutilation fgm.
Ms patricia ayichuru, programme officer at wom indicated that her ngo was not against all widowhood rites but those such as bathing the widow in public, forcing the widow to take concoction. A similar case reported by omiyi from a ghana law report shows how. Widows perception of widowhood rites and practices. In ghana only a small section of ethnic groups usually found in the northern parts of the country have initiation rites for men and where they occur they are done in secret and not given as much. Ghana is located on the south coast of west african encompassing approximately 92 101 square miles 238 540 km2approximately 92,101 square miles 238,540 km2. Within the ghanaian context, widowhood represents a range of implications. I see the widowhood rites as an infringement on the womani see the widowhood rites as an infringement on the woman ss rights, reducing rights, reducing. Effects of widowhood rites on the psychosocial wellbeing of women in nadowli district upperwest region ghana article pdf available january 2014 with 5,016 reads how we measure reads. Pdf effects of widowhood rites on the psychosocial well. This research examines the widowhood practices and rights of women in southwestern nigeria and discusses how the widows can be protected through the localization of human rights terms. Pdf ghanaian akan womens experiences of widowhood and. No further information regarding widowhood rites of widows of chiefs or subchiefs could be found among the sources consulted by the research directorate.
The womens health initiative sara wilcox university of south carolina kelly r. During widowhood rites, women are vulnerable to abuse especially by members of their husbands families, who typically care for them during the rites. Ayiagu widowhood rite that marks the end of mourning period ga. Studies on widowhood rites in africa generally bemoan what scholars. Agonies of widows hit by harsh nigerian traditions. The impact of widowhood rite on the ghanaian woman in the.
The legal framework in ghana clearly forbids traditional practices that do not. The effects of widowhood on physical and mental health, health behaviors, and health outcomes. Gone are those days when a widow cannot contest for an equal right in the inheritance of her husbands property. The study found that some of the practices of widowhood rituals in the area were.
Full text of encyclopedia of religious rites, rituals and festivals. It also sought to find out why widowhood rites persist in spite of ghana being a signatory to many human rights instruments. First, to show that african widowhood rites are the products of. Issues of discrimination in widowhood in ghana that require addressing in the context of the cedaw introduction women are not homogeneous. Ensuring that the rights of women are protected needs to first recognise this fact. The effects of widowhood on physical and mental health.
Full text of encyclopedia of religious rites, rituals and. Although sources did not specify whether the following widowhood rites apply to the akan people, this additional information regarding widowhood rites in ghana is of interest. Widowhood rites still rife in northern regions modern ghana. Aboh mbaise a merger between okeovuru and agbaja and ezinihitte local governments.
Cultural practices affecting womens rights in ghana ncce. This assertion that the practice of widowhood rites is on the increase in ghana is neither a fabrication nor an exaggeration. Some of these rites include cruel and degrading treatment. It also sought to find out why widowhood rites persist in spite of ghana.
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