CULTURAL TRADITIONS FUELS HIV INFECTIONS
By MAURICE ALAL (Kisumu- Kenya)

The number of widows being evicted from their homes by their in-laws
is on the rise in Nyanza region especially Gwassi Division in Suba
district.

In a period of two months, over 160 such cases have been reported in
the region prompting concern by the Federation of women Lawyers
(FIDA).These are women who refuse to be inherited for HIV infections
reduction as it is one of the main contributor in Suba
.
According to statistics, Nyanza region leads in HIV prevalence in the
country by 13% against 6.1% nationally. However, Gwassi division alone
is leading by 35% meaning out of every 100 people, 35 might be
infected.

“The latest records from the ministry of Health have shown that
Nyandiwa area in Gwassi division is leading by over 35%”, said Fabian
Kicha, Secretary of Nyakonya, a community based organization that is
working hand in hand with government and other organizations to create
awareness about HIV in the district.

The high HIV prevalence in Gwassi has led to increased number of
orphans, widows, teenage pregnancies and child headed families.

However, women’s right organization is concerned that even despite
successful prosecution in court and judicial judgement in favor of the
widows on cases revolving round their eviction from their matrimonial
homes, the practice appears not abate.

The trend was more pronounced in Homabay,Kisii and Siaya Counties of
Nyanza, says Mary Lukera, a senior Program Officer with FIDA. On the
spotlight are chiefs and their assistants who FIDA allege collude with
some of the in-laws to deny widows and orphans the right to inherit
behind upon the onset of widowhood.

A survey conducted by FIDA’s Kisumu office has established that most
of the cases were as a result of attempts by the relatives of the
deceased persons to have widows forcefully inherited.

In its report released in Kisumu at a media awareness seminar, FIDA
notes that most of the target widows were opposed to being inherited
as demaned by their in-law. As such, they aretherefore forced with no
option but to leave their matrimonial homes.

The continued eviction of the widows contrasts the past trend where
where the women who were most likely to be evicted by their in-laws
hugely composed of childless widows or those who are from different
ethnic community other than that of their spouses. FIDA says the
current trend was indiscriminative.

“The widows who bore only female children, poorly educated or jobless
were also prone to such,” the FIDA reports terming the practice as a
“widow” worst nightmare. This pushes them to engage in sexual
activities as the only option.

In the wake of the findings, the organization has now mounted
awareness creation compaigns in the three counties with the aim of
training the trend.

“We are conducting workshops involving the councils of elders and mass
civic education campaigns in the areas. We hope to succeed in
arresting the trend,” says Lukera.

She clarified that apart from using the the courts to settle family
disputes,FIDA has also been instrumental in mediation processes where
there is a problem.

“We should not be perceived as amerely an organization that is eager
on seeking divorce only. That is a perception we seek to correct,”
Lukera says. The seminar was meant to discuss how to report gender
based violence objectively.

Participants were told other than Suba, Kisii and Kisumu counties,
FIDA is also concerned that the forced eviction of widows was also in
the neighbouring counties such as Vihiga, Kakamega and Bungoma.

Cultural traditions that insist that a woman cannot own land and
proprty in her matrimonial home could be among the reasons for the
continued existence of the practice of forced eviction of
widows,especially those who would refuse to be inherited.END