Title: Culture and women's rights: assessment of the practice of widow inheritance and succession from relativist and universalist views

Authors: Kelemework Birukie Zewdie

Addresses: Department of Civics and Ethical Studies, College of Social Science and the Humanities, University of Gondar, Ethiopia

Abstract: Widow inheritance is a practice in which a widow remarries her brother-in-law or relatives of her deceased husband after his bereavement. It is believed, on the one hand, protects women hardship of widowhood, and on the other hand, the practice directly goes against the rights of women. Accordingly, the manuscript discusses about the practice and nature of widow inheritance from the perspectives of relativist approach and universalist understanding. While relatives are more likely pro to practice of widow inheritance, universalists and feminists seriously criticised the practice of widow inheritance as an action or norms that made women subject to customary practice and negatively affect women's physical, psychological and social development. Thus, in order to create conducive and protective environment of women's rights there should be cultural change through creating awareness and legislating normative framework.

Keywords: human rights; women rights; widow; widow rights.

DOI: 10.1504/IJHRCS.2021.116571

International Journal of Human Rights and Constitutional Studies, 2021 Vol.8 No.3, pp.190 - 196

Received: 05 Jun 2020
Accepted: 17 Jul 2020
Published online: 28 Jul 2021 *

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