Widowhood and Power: Reclaiming Visibility, Rights, and Community Leadership

​Event Description

Widowed women remain one of the most overlooked groups within the global gender equality agenda, despite facing profound social, economic, and legal exclusion—and despite the critical roles they play in sustaining families and communities.

This session brings widowhood into focus as both a justice issue and a leadership opportunity. It will explore how widowed women navigate stigma, dispossession, and systemic invisibility, while also acting as powerful agents of resilience and community transformation.

At the heart of the conversation is the role of art and storytelling as catalysts for change. Drawing on EMBERS of Rona as a case study, the session will examine how creative expression and “artivism” can bridge lived experience and policy, contributing to tangible outcomes such as the Siaya Widows Protection Act.

Participants will reflect on how widowhood is currently excluded from mainstream gender discourse, and what it would take to center widowed women in policy, funding, and systems change efforts. The session will also highlight pathways to recognition, protection, and empowerment, grounded in the voices and leadership of widows themselves.

Speakers

• ​Dr. Jackie Odhiambo is Executive Director at Nyanam Widows Rising, empowering widows to overcome stigma and lead community transformation through scalable, holistic programmes.

• ​Evelyn Odhiambo is Head of Communications and Partnerships at Nyanam Widows Rising, advancing rights-based narratives and partnerships that support widows and their families.

• ​Roseline Orwa is Executive Director at Rona Foundation, driving policy and grassroots action to advance widows’ rights and economic empowerment across Africa.

​Discussion Questions
Why is widowhood so often excluded from gender equality agendas?
What legal, social, and economic barriers do widowed women face—and how can they be addressed?
How can storytelling and artivism translate lived experience into policy change?
What would it look like to center widowed women as leaders in community transformation?

​Location & access
Accessibility matters deeply to us, and we do our best to choose spaces that reflect that. That said, some of our Oxford venues are in historic buildings without lifts. This room is unfortunately not accessible for wheelchair users, those with mobility challenges, or anyone needing step-free access.