Most rural communities have a problem in accepting the position at law which allows a widow to remarry and continue to live at her deceased husband’s homestead with her new husband.
This is slowly changing through legal education. Village head Chakudza of Chiriseri village is now telling his people that widows must not be chased away from their homes. Before the legal education sessions, he was a staunch believer in traditional ways of dealing with inheritance issues and related matters.
Once people learn about their rights, they gain the requisite confidence to seek legal assistance. In such a typical case, a woman’s estranged husband had taken their minor daughter away without her consent. She was resigned to her fate as she thought her husband would prevail over her in court as he was very vocal. After an education session in Bindura she realised the law protects the vulnerable from abuse. She proceeded to lodge an application for custody and won the case.
