By Caroline Katana
Kwale County will later this month roll out its first dedicated survey on widowhood, aiming to capture accurate numbers and highlight the social, economic, and legal hurdles widows face.
Advocates say the data will help end years of invisibility in policy and budgeting.
The two-day exercise, set for August 25–26 across Msambweni, Lungalunga, Samburu, and Kinango, is led by the Collaborative Center for Gender and Development (CCGD) through the Tuwajali Wajane Organisation, alongside national and local government and other partners.
“This is about bringing widows into the national conversation. The 2019 census did not recognize widows as a separate category, which means their needs have been overlooked in planning. That must change,” said CCGD County Coordinator Vicky Kisilu.
Kisilu added that widows should have a formal voice in decision-making.
“Just as other vulnerable groups are represented in governance, widows deserve a platform where their concerns can be addressed,” she added.
National Gender Officer Nelly Amoite said the situation in Kwale reflects a wider African challenge.
“Too many widows have been ignored for too long. Once we have credible figures, targeted support can be developed,” she said, noting that the African Union’s Maputo Protocol obliges governments to end harmful traditions such as widow cleansing and land dispossession.
According to Mwanasha Gaserego, Director of Tuwajali Wajane Kwale, the survey will include every woman /man who has been widowed, even those who have since remarried.
“Legal recognition matters. Without it, you miss out on programmes that could change your life,” she said.
Kenya’s Constitution, the Law of Succession Act, and the Protection against Domestic Violence Act safeguard widows’ property, inheritance, and safety.
Regionally, the African Charter and Maputo Protocol demand widow protection, while globally, Kenya is bound by CEDAW and guided by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
Organisers hope the findings will spark reforms, influence budgets, and lead to community-driven projects that protect widows from discrimination and secure their place in Kwale’s development story.
