A bill to give five months leave for widows and one month for widowers to mourn their spouses passed second reading in the House of Representatives.
The sponsor, Saidu Abdullahi, stated that widows and widowers face numerous challenges following the loss of their spouses and are often left to single handedly care for their children
He said Widowhood legislation has been enacted in many countries including India and Philippines.
This bill is divided into five clauses. The first clause stipulates the period of leave that is formally granted to a widow and widower with full payment entitlement.
The second clause defines the persons who are eligible for the leave and the third clause states the punishment for the violation of the proposed law.
Part four provides for the interpretation of the terms “widow” and “widower”.
