Widowhood Rites, Property Dispossession, and Legal Advocacy in Contemporary African Societies

African Journal of Gender and Women Studies | Vol. 11, No. 9, September 2026 | pp. 237–250

DOI: 10.46882/2026/AJGWS/001312

Article Type: Research Article

Title: Widowhood Rites, Property Dispossession, and Legal Advocacy in Contemporary African Societies

Names of Author: Akosua Mensah-Bonsu¹ & David Thorne²

Author's Affiliation: ¹Faculty of Law, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana; ²School of Law and Social Justice, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom.

Abstract:
Despite constitutional guarantees of gender equality and statutory intestate succession laws across many African jurisdictions, widows frequently confront humiliating mourning rituals, social ostracization, and forceful eviction from marital homes by extended patrilineal kin. Weak enforcement of inheritance statutes, high legal costs, and fear of spiritual reprisals often deter widowed women from seeking judicial remedies. Consequently, widowhood remains a major driver of sudden female poverty and intergenerational economic insecurity. This paper examines the persistent gap between statutory inheritance protections and customary widowhood practices in Ghana and Zambia. Utilizing feminist legal pluralism, the study analyzes court judgments, paralegal case files, and interviews with 40 widows and traditional leaders. We argue that bridging this implementation gap requires pairing community-based paralegal clinics with constructive dialogue involving progressive traditional authorities to reform harmful customary practices from within.

Keywords: Widowhood rites, property dispossession, inheritance law, feminist legal pluralism, customary law, legal advocacy, Ghana, Zambia

Manuscript Timeline: Received: July 24, 2026; Revised: August 25, 2026; Accepted: August 29, 2026; Published: September 15, 2026.

Citation: Mensah-Bonsu, A., & Thorne, D. (2026). Widowhood Rites, Property Dispossession, and Legal Advocacy in Contemporary African Societies. African Journal of Gender and Women Studies, 11(9), 237–250. DOI: 10.46882/2026/AJGWS/001312

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