By Vicent Emong
Cases of non-maintenance and marital disputes are steadily increasing in Kumi District, with many women seeking refuge and support after being abandoned by their spouses, officials at the ActionAid Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Shelter have revealed.
According to shelter authorities, a growing number of mothers are reporting that their husbands have failed to provide basic necessities for their families, leaving women to shoulder the burden of school fees, medical bills and daily household needs alone.
Alice Iwello, a psychosocial support officer at the shelter, said non-maintenance has become one of the most common complaints this year, overtaking other domestic-related cases.
“What is very common in the community right now is that fathers have refused to take care of their wives and children,” Iwello explained. “Women are struggling to provide food, education and health care on their own, which is why many are coming to us for help.”
She noted that the situation has placed enormous emotional and financial strain on mothers, some of whom are forced to raise children without any support from their partners.
Iwello appealed directly to men to take responsibility for their families and work together with their spouses to build stable homes.
“These are your children. You brought them into this world. Please hold your wives’ hands and guide your children through life,” she said. “When children grow up, they should feel loved and supported by both parents.”
Shelter records indicate that while marital disputes topped last year’s cases, the start of this year has seen a sharp rise in non-maintenance complaints, alongside continued reports of domestic conflict and neglect.
Iwello attributed much of the problem to infidelity and extramarital relationships, which she said often divert men’s financial resources away from their families.
“In many cases, men engage in relationships outside their marriage, and those relationships become costly. They end up spending money meant for their families on other partners,” she said.
She added that some men allegedly sell family property such as livestock, food or household assets to finance these relationships, further destabilizing their homes.
“In the process, wives and children suffer the most. Some women are even chased away so that the property can be sold,” she said.
Community leaders and social workers are now calling for stronger family support systems, counseling services and community interventions to address the growing crisis. They warn that continued neglect could expose children to poverty, school dropouts and long-term emotional trauma.
Iwello urged parents and local leaders to work together to promote responsible parenting and protect women and children from economic hardship.
“Families must unite for development,” she said. “When parents cooperate, children grow up in safer and healthier environments.”
