International Widows’ Day 23 June
Invisible Women, Invisible
Problems
For many women around the world, the devastating loss of
a partner is magnified by a long-term fight for their basic rights and dignity.
Despite the fact that there are more than 258 million widows around the world,
widows have historically been left unseen, unsupported, and unmeasured in our
societies.
Today, as armed conflicts, displacement and migration,
and the COVID-19 pandemic leave tens of thousands of women newly widowed and
many others whose partners are missing or disappeared, the unique experiences
and needs of widows must be brought to the forefront, with their voices leading
the way.
Experience from past pandemics, for example HIV/AIDS and
Ebola, shows that widows are often denied inheritance rights, have their
property grabbed after the death of a partner, and can face extreme stigma and
discrimination, as perceived ‘carriers’ of disease. Worldwide, women are much less
likely to have access to old age pensions than men, so the death of a spouse
can lead to destitution for older women. In the context of lockdowns and
economic closures, widows may not have access to bank accounts and pensions to
pay for healthcare if they too become ill or to support themselves and their
children. With lone-mother families and single older women already particularly
vulnerable to poverty, this is an area that needs urgent attention.
On International Widows’ Day, 23 June, take a look at some
of the issues affecting widows around the world and what must be done to
safeguard and advance their rights.
Problems for widows in
developing countries
Poverty
- No
access to credit or other economic resources, even for childcare or
education.
- No
rights or limited rights, to inheritance or land ownership under customary
and religious law.
- Dependent
on the charity of their husbands’ relatives.
- Disowned
by relatives and made homeless in countries like India, forcing many women
to seek informal work as domestic labourers or turn to begging or
prostitution.
- In
some cases, widows can become liable for the debts of a deceased spouse.
Violence
- Particularly
across Africa and Asia, widows find themselves the victims of physical and
mental violence – including sexual abuse – related to inheritance, land
and property disputes.
- Widows are
coerced into participating in harmful, degrading and even life-threatening
traditional practices as part of burial and mourning rites. In a number of
countries, for example, widows are forced to drink the water that their
husbands’ corpses have been washed in. Mourning rites may also involve
sexual relations with male relatives, shaving of the hair and
scarification
Health
- Poor
nutrition, inadequate shelter and vulnerability to violence, combined with
a lack of access to health care.
- Sexual and
reproductive health needs of widows may go unaddressed.
- Widows are
particularly vulnerable in the context of HIV and AIDS. Women may be kept
unaware of the cause of their husband’s AIDS-related death and made to
undergo ritual cleansing through sex with male relatives regardless of HIV
status. The economic insecurity stemming from widowhood also drives some
women and girls to sex work.
Conflict-related
situations
- Vast numbers
of women are widowed due to armed conflict. In some parts of eastern
Democratic Republic of the Congo, for instance, it is reported that around
50 per cent of women are widows, while there are an estimated three
million widows in Iraq and over 70,000 in Kabul, Afghanistan.
- Widows
struggle to care for themselves and their children in their own countries,
refugee camps or countries of asylum.
- Trauma
during and after the conflict: many women see their husbands tortured,
mutilated or suffering other cruel and inhuman treatment. Widows may
themselves be subject to discrimination or conflict-related violence –
including sexual violence where they are raped, mutilated, or infected
with HIV
Towards Progress for Widows
The United Nations observes 23 June as
International Widows Day (resolution A/RES/65/189)
since 2011, to draw attention to the voices and experiences of widows and to
galvanize the unique support that they need.
Now more than ever, this day is an
opportunity for action towards achieving full rights and recognition for
widows. This includes providing them with information on access to a fair share
of their inheritance, land and productive resources; pensions and social protection
that are not based on marital status alone; decent work and equal pay; and
education and training opportunities. Empowering widows to support themselves
and their families also means addressing social stigmas that create exclusion,
and discriminatory or harmful practices.
Furthermore, Governments should take action
to uphold their commitments to ensure the rights of widows as enshrined in
international law, including the Convention
on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women and the Convention on the Rights of the
Child. Even when national laws exist to protect
the rights of widows, weaknesses in the judicial systems of many States compromise
how widows’ rights are defended in practice and should be addressed. Lack of
awareness and discrimination by judicial officials can cause widows to avoid
turning to the justice system to seek reparations.
Programmes and policies for ending violence
against widows and their children, poverty alleviation, education and other
support to widows of all ages also need to be undertaken, including in the
context of action plans to accelerate achievement of the Sustainable
Development Goals.
In post-conflict situations, widows should
be brought in to participate fully in peacebuilding and reconciliation
processes to ensure that they contribute to sustainable peace and security.
And in the context of COVID-19, widows must not be left out of our work to “build back better”. Let us ensure that our recovery prioritizes their unique needs and supports societies to be more inclusive, resilient and equal for all.
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