PROFILE OF THE WIDOWS DEVELOPMENT ORGANISATION(WiDO)
Name: Widows Development Organisation (WiDO)
Motto: Unity, Love & Industry
Address: WIDOW SUPPORT CENTRE
84 NZA STREET
P.0.Box 11602
INDEPENDENCE LAYOUT, ENUGU, NIGERIA
Phone: 234-8057671071
E-mail:elenwad@yahoo.co.uk
Web site:www.widoafrica.org
Date of Establishment: October 1996
REGISTRATION: Corporate Affairs Commission No: 9797
Enugu State Welfare Council No: ESWC/EN/901
Associated with the Department of Public Information (DGC) of theUnited Nations July 2010
AIMS AND OBJECTIVESTo sensitise the general public on the plight of widows.
To bring about improvement in the social status of widows
To create awareness on the rights of widows and other women in
the areas of basic education, legal awareness, income generating
activities ;(small scale industries, trading arts and crafts),healthand population, agriculture and environment
To encourage educational support programmes for children ofwidows.
To provide counselling and support centres.
To source for funds and mobilise resources in order to carry out
the objectives of the organisation
To lend support to and cooperate with local, national andinternational organisation with similar purpose.
Trustees:Dr. (Mrs) Eleanor Nwadinobi- PRESIDENT
Mrs. Pat Okoye
Mrs. Angela Otaluka

Membership is open to men and women who are committed to theobjectives of the Organisation.
PAST ACTIVITIES• APRIL 1996 "Symposium on Improving the Social Status of womenand widows" in collaboration with British Council.
• November 1996 "WiDO enlightenment day " and drama
presentation titled "Lamentation "• Working with FIDA and Ministry of Women Affairs on the Widows
Welfare Committee set up to research in to the current widowhood
practices in 12 local government areas of Enugu State 1998
• Working as consultants to CFC in collaboration with TVE for thefilming of a documentary titled "TILL DEATH DO US PART"November 1998
• Interview of Trustees for the BBC Worldwide service 1999.
• Presentation at AWID conference Virginia USA November 1999
• Interview on VOA world service 1999
• Research in 6 Local Government Areas of Enugu State incollaboration with UNDP
• Feature in the MARIE CLAIRE women’s magazine February 2000
UK Edition• Gender empowerment activity in Ugwu-ogo community to mark the•International Women’s day. March 2000
• Participation by one of our Trustees as a panelist at the Beijing+5
meeting, New York, June 2000
• Interview for the "Carte Blanche" programme by M-NET August2000• Research on "THE HEALTH OF WIDOWS AND THEIR CHILDREN"in collaboration with Medical Women's International Association(MWIA) August 2000-March 2001
• Widow Friendly Day November 2000
• Participation at First International Conference on Widows Rights February 2001
• Presentation of research findings At Medical Women's International
Congress, Sydney, Australia. 2001
• Drama production and awareness on bill on widows' rights incollaboration with Canada Fund for local initiatives.
• Presentation at AWID conference Guadalajara, Mexico 2002

• Awareness drive in secondary schools, International Women’s Day
2003• Presentation at UK House of Commons June 2003
• Presentation at Commonwealth Peoples Forum Abuja December2003• Setting up of Widow Support Centre and skills training for 10widows in collaboration with Irish Women’s Group, Lagos 2003
• 6-month radio Jingles on FRCN and ESBS on bill on widow’s rights
June –December 2003 in collaboration with Mama Cash of theNetherlands.
• Legislators Consultation, International Women’s Day 8th March 2004
in Collaboration with Global Fund for women• Follow-up on Legislative Advocacy Consultation 8th March 2005
• Fighting fund for free legal AID services for widows whose rights
have been violated• in collaboration with Widows Rights International, UK 2006
• Support for widows whose rights have been violated in collaboration
with the European Union 2006 -2007• Presentation Panels at CSW 2008, 2009 & 2010
• Training of Trainers on Will writing in collaboration withCommonwealth Secretariat, UK May 2009
RECENT ACTIVITIES AT THE UN
WiDO was also represented at the United Nations 2014 Universal
Children’s Day Celebrations at Medgar Evers College, CUNY onNovember 20th and at the United Nations Headquarters’ TrusteeshipCouncil Chamber on November 21st honoring the 25th Anniversary ofthe Convention of the Rights of the Child.
WiDO had a panel in partnership with Lehigh University at the UNDPI
annual conference New York on August 26th through August 30th at
the UN . Dr. Marie Umeh attended this forum where Dr. Eleanor
Nwadinobi gave a presentation on the tragedy of the Chibok School
Girls who were kidnapped in Nigeria while preparing for exit exams
on the school grounds. After her speech, Dr. Nwadinobi entertained
all questions and comments from the audience.
WiDO participated at the 2014 FIRST LADIES HIGH LEVELFORUM AT THE UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY whereDr. Eleanor Nwadinobi’s key recommendation, was for a special
rapporteur on Widows’ Rights be appointed and for the Secretary
General, H. E. Ban ki-moon, to commission an international study onwidows.
WiDO has held parallel sessions at UNCSW 2011,2012,2013, 2014,2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 snd 2019.
ON-GOING ACTIVITIES• Data base of widows, cause of death of their husbands, change ineconomic status as a widow etc.
• Enlightenment campaign to organisations and groups• Revolving fund for small scale businesses• Support for widows whose rights have been violated• Yearly Commemoration of International Widows day 23rd June
• Skills acquisition training for 5 widows through the Marie Nwandufund• Launch of the Umuagungulori Oil mill value chain• Launch of the Umuagungulori WISLA widows Loans scheme Abia
State December 2019 to date - Supported by the Global Fund forWidow
NOTABLE BENEFICIARIES OF WiDO
Widows organisation of Emene awarded garri processing factorythrough WiDO's contact with British High commission
Widow presented with wheel barrow for her business
Widow reinstated in quarters following eviction
10 widows given scholarships for skills training in collaboration
with Irish Women’s Group, Lagos
3 widows received scholarships from the Barr Uko skills
acquisition fund
NETWORK AFFILIATIONS/PARTNERS
GLOBAL FUND FOR WIDOWSMEDICAL WOMEN'S ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (MWAN)
ASSOCIATION OF FEMALE LAWYERS (FIDA)CATHOLIC INSTITUTE FOR DEVELOPMENT JUSTICE AND
PEACE (CIDJAP)UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME (UNDP)MEDICAL WOMEN’S INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION (MWIA)
IRISH WOMEN’S GROUP , LAGOSWOMEN'S RIGHTS ADVANCEMENT AND PROTECTION
ALTERNATIVE (WRAPA)WIDOWS RIGHTS INTERNATIONAL, London, U.K.
CANADA FUND FOR LOCAL INITIATIVESSJG/DFID
MAMA CASH, The Netherlands
GLOBAL FUND FOR WOMEN, US
EUROPEAN UNIONSIGRID RAUSING TRUST, UK
PUBLICATIONSBook titled "Widowhood: A Natural or Cultural Tragedy "by Pat
Okoye
Book titled "Widows and Daughters " by Patience Ifejika
Book titled "Customary marriage Laws &Rights of widows " byAngela Otaluka
Paper titled "Widowhood in Nigeria: the case of four EasternStates "by Eleanor Nwadinobi
Book titled “Widowhood Practices: The case of Enugu State “Book titled “Summary of Enugu State of Nigeria, 2001 Bill No. 3 The prohibition of Infringement of a widow’s and widower’s
fundamental rights law 2001”
I0th Anniversary. Achievements of the Widows Development
Organisation
WIDOWHOOD:FACTS FEELINGS AND THE LAW 2008
“BUILDING BRIDGES: FAITH, CUSTOMARY PRACTICES AND
LAW IN NIGERIA” 2009
Towards. Just peace 2014. Springer Jan Fritz