25. Widow Discrimination in the Workplace and Beyond: What the Law Says - Empowering Widows - Widow Empowerment - Jack Lookman Limited
25. Widow Discrimination in the Workplace and Beyond: What the Law Says Here is a frustrating truth, and that is, the law often protects widows better than widows realise, and better than communities enforce. Knowing what the law says, and where to go when someone ignores it, can change the outcome of a very hard season. A note first; this post focuses on Nigerian law, which varies by state, and the general principles here may differ elsewhere. It is general education, not legal advice. Please have a lawyer or legal aid organisation review your own situation. The foundation is constitutional. Section 42(1) of the Constitution prohibits discrimination on grounds including sex, and legal commentators read this as covering unfair treatment of widows. Lagos-based members of the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) have noted that Nigerian courts have consistently struck down customs that exclude women from inheritance. As one of them put it, culture is not above the Consti...