BY GCWALISILE MHLABANE
MANZINI —The Kingdom of Eswatini continues to demonstrate unwavering support and solidarity with widows across the country, as it honoured their strength, dignity and resilience during a powerful national commemoration held at Millennium Park, where International Widows Day was marked with voices of hope, unity and empowerment.
Held on June 23, 2026, the gathering brought together widows from across the Kingdom alongside government representatives, traditional leaders, faith-based organisations, civil society actors and development partners, all united in a shared commitment to advancing dignity and justice for widows.
Hosted by the Umhluma Women and Youth Foundation in collaboration with the Deputy Prime Minister’s Office, the commemoration was held under the theme “Justice, Dignity and Economic Power for Widows,” reflecting Eswatini’s continued drive toward inclusive development, social protection and human dignity.
The event placed widows at the centre of national reflection — not as symbols of loss, but as pillars of resilience who continue to sustain households, preserve livelihoods and contribute meaningfully to society despite personal hardship and social challenges.
While the commemoration acknowledged ongoing issues such as social stigma, economic vulnerability and barriers to inheritance and property rights, the overall tone remained firmly positive and solution-driven, focusing on unity, empowerment and practical pathways forward.
Partners including the Stukie Motsa Foundation, Eswatini Council of Churches, Eswatini Legal Aid and Orchard Insurance reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening legal protection, expanding access to justice and advancing sustainable economic empowerment programmes for widows.
Speaking at the commemoration, the Founder and Executive Director of the Stukie Motsa Foundation, Senator Dr. Stukie Motsa, emphasised that widows must never be left at the margins of society.
“We must move beyond sympathy and toward meaningful action. Widows are not people to be pitied, but citizens whose dignity, rights and economic power must be protected, strengthened and respected,” she said.
The commemoration further encouraged communities across Eswatini to transform perceptions of widowhood — from marginalisation to inclusion, from silence to recognition, and from vulnerability to empowerment.
As widows stood together in unity at Millennium Park, the message was clear: their voices matter, their strength is recognised, and their future must be safeguarded.
#InternationalWidowsDay #JusticeForWidows #DignityForWidows #EconomicPowerForWidows #WomenEmpowerment #LeaveNoOneBehind #EswatiniPositiveNews #SocialJustice #Eswatini
