United Nations(UN) International Widows’ Day is annually observed across the globe on 23rd June to create awareness about the experiences of the widows and to provide the support they need.
The day provides the opportunity for action towards achieving full rights and recognition for widows.
Background:
i.The United Nations General Assembly(UNGA) adopted the resolution A/RES/65/189 on 21st December 2010 and proclaimed the 23rd June of Every year as the International Widows’ Day.
ii.International Widows Day is an initiative of the Loomba Foundation, launched at the House of Lords in London on 26 May 2005.
iii.The Loomba Foundation led the 5-year global campaign for the UN Recognition of the International Widows Day.
Widows across the globe:
i.According to the United Nations there are around 258 million widows across the globe and around one in 10 widows live in extreme poverty.
ii.It is estimated that around 1.36 million widows across the globe are child widows.
Challenges of Widowhood
i.The widows across the globe face various issues such as economic insecurity, stereotypes, prejudices, and harmful traditional practices with severe consequences.
ii.In various cultures the rights to safety, bodily autonomy, justice, and dignity of the widows are denied and they are forcibly “passed on” to or “inherited” by a new designated partner, such as the brother or other relative of her deceased spouse.
About Loomba Foundation:
The Loomba Foundation is a registered charity in the United Kingdom (UK), India and the United States.
Founder and Chairman Trustee– Lord Raj Loomba
