### id242086054 customary laws conflicting with new formal laws harm vulnerable women > Widows also face strong social pressure to accept property-grabbing by in-laws, some of which, families assert, derives from interpretations of customary laws. Some families assert that under customary laws for their communities, only those “in” the family, i.e., men, are entitled to inherit land and property. Others say that within this customary system, widows will be protected and provided for by the male in-laws who inherit. But too often in the modern context, there is no such protection. While customary laws can evolve and change and can offer opportunities to advance women’s equality, they can also be interpreted or applied in ways that discriminate against women, especially widows - [View Highlight](https://read.readwise.io/read/01fjwzkf641nrgdg13p2zcdj77) - [[You Will Get Nothing via Human Rights Watch#id242086054 customary laws conflicting with new formal laws harm vulnerable women|View in Vault]]