International Widows Day 2021: June 23 is remembered as International widows day to address the matter faced by the widows and their children of various countries. Providing help to the widows in times of their need, the United Nations willed to draw attention towards the hurdle faced by the widows. After losing their life partner, widows have to face struggles for their livelihood, basic needs, dignity and their self-respect as their husband’s death can leave his family destitute.
Widows in India were often accused of their husband’s death and were even forced to leave their husband’s homes. Widows’ gaze was even considered as bad luck and many superstitions believed that women performed witchcraft against their husbands. Widows were removed from the inheritance rights to the piece of land and were forced into unwanted marriages. Know more about International Widows Day 2021 in this article.
Important Days
The Theme of International Widows Day 2021:
The International Widows Day 2021 Theme is “Invisible Women, Invisible Problems”.
International Widows Day 2021: Facts
- Before 1827 Widows had to immolate herself on her late husband’s funeral pyre. Because Loomba’s mother became a widow 0n 23 June 1954, Loomba Foundation initiated the International Widow’s Day in 2005.
- According to Loomba, women in various countries had to struggle for their basic needs and rights. They are not looked at by any organizations and societies cursed them for their husband’s death.
- Finally, June 23, 2010, was officially recognized in the United Nations General Assembly.
- With the widows, children were removed from the school and were abused for their father’s death. International Widow’s Day motivates people to stand with the rights of widows, highlighting the issues faced by women like violence, discrimination, and poverty.
- The main aim of International Widow’s day is to provide education to the widows’ children, provide them healthcare facilities, and develop various resources and policies to empower widows.
- This step can lead widows to have quality in society and have equal rights and freedom. It is necessary to understand a widow’s conditions and serve equal rights as the rest of the women possess.
Significance of International Widows Day 2021:
- It is important to ensure the rights of the widow’s as enshrined in international law and give them all the rights and recognition as the rest of the human beings possess.
- Widows must be provided with equal shares in the land and property, should not be abused and accused of their husband’s death, providing them with equal work and equal pay in order to remove discrimination for the widows in the society.
- Children of widows must be allowed to attend schools and must not be abused as stated in the widow’s as enshrined in international law. Lack of awareness and discrimination by judicial officials can cause widows to suffer and hurdle their status and livelihood.
- International Widow’s Day is observed to raise the conditions of widows and their children faced in daily life.
- The many Member States made a commitment at the 63rd Commission on the Status of Women in March 2019 to invest in strengthening family-oriented policies and programs.
- The motto was to ensure that adequate measures are in place to protect and support women including their status in society as a widow and their rights on their husbands land and property.
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