Inheritance disputes leave widows and orphans in Mali without their share
Relatives of deceased heads of family are reportedly sharing out property in disregard of the rights of widows and children.
In Mali, the death of a family head often leaves a painful gap, and in some households it brings a further hardship: widows and their children are denied their share of the inheritance. Relatives of the deceased are reportedly dividing his property while ignoring the rights of the widow and the orphans.
Studio Tamani asked why these practices are spreading and what remains of the values of solidarity, honour and responsibility that families have long relied on. The question was put to the traditionalist Sidiki Kouyaté on the Club Tamani programme, broadcast on 13 November 2026.
The same report, carried by Bamada.net, said the programme examined why inheritance has become a source of family division. It gave no figures on how many families are affected.
Why it mattersWidows and children who are shut out of an estate lose the property that was meant to keep them housed and fed.