International Widows Day, celebrated every year on June 23, is a special day established by the United Nations dedicated to addressing the poverty and injustice faced by millions of widows and their dependents. Did you know that widowhood is more common than you think?
Yes, the U.S. Census Bureau says that there are more than 13 million people who have lost a spouse in the U.S. with over 11 million of them being women. Losing your partner is never an easy thing and this International Widows Day, let’s take a stand to create awareness about the situation of widows across the world.
The United Nations General Assembly adopted June 23 as the official International Widows Day on December 21, 2010. However, International Widows Day had already been observed since 2005 by the Loomba Foundation. Rajinder Loomba, who is a member of the House of Lords in the U.K., founded the Loomba Foundation to work on the issues faced by a woman during widowhood in developing countries.
Rajinder was inspired to start this foundation after witnessing the struggles that his mother had to go through when she became a widow at the age of 37 in 1954. Following the launch in 2005, the Loomba Foundation led a five-year global campaign for U.N. recognition. As a result, the United Nations General Assembly made a unanimous decision to adopt International Widows Day as an annual Global Day of Action.
As losing a loved one in any capacity is difficult and traumatic, this day aims to ensure that widows all over the world are given the support they need to go through that incredibly difficult time. Because in many countries, people, especially women who find themselves as widows also find themselves in situations where they are denied their right to inheritance.
There are also cultures in different parts of the world where they see widows as being cursed or associated with the practice of witchcraft. This wrong mindset separates them from their community and even from their children.
While no one wants to think about the future death of their spouse, it is critical for every one of us to prepare for any unfortunate and unforeseen events, and most importantly, support those who are in need.
