Widows for Peace through Democracy (WPD), founded by Margaret Owen OBE, works to ensure that widows of all ages, irrespective of religion, ethnicity, caste, age or nationality, are protected from violence and marginalisation and can enjoy their full human rights.

We prioritise marginalised widows in the world’s most war-torn and poverty-stricken regions, empowering widows’ organisations in each country to demand a better life for widows and their children.

WPD NEWS & ARTICLES

Widows of all ages: Hidden Victims of Humanitarian Aid Cuts

By Jordan Taylor. Humanitarian funding cuts are usually from the broader lens of “women and girls” as a single group. That framing risks concealing groups whose needs arise from particular social and legal conditions.

Non-State Torture of Widows: Harmful Cultural Traditions, Rituals and Practices – and the Law

By Ally Laverty and Zoe. Many widows globally face traditional, socio-cultural and religious rituals and acts which amount to Non-State Torture.... Article 5 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights which asserts that no

Funding cuts and the protection of widows in Tanzania

By Jordan Taylor. For many widows, bereavement is followed by the loss of their home, land and financial security. Discriminatory inheritance practices, limited awareness of legal rights and the cost of representation can leave

United Nations Treaty on Protection from Enforced Disappearance – Important Relevance to Widows and Half-widows

By Amelie Chaplin Enforced disappearance is when a person is detained or abducted by state agents or those acting with state approval, and the state then refuses to acknowledge their fate or whereabouts... The

NEWS FROM OUR NETWORK

From Three Widows to a Movement for Justice: Reflections on the Siaya Widows Protection Act (2025) – Kenya

By Roseline Orwa. It began in a small room—three widows sitting in my living room, carrying stories that had long ...

Improving Healthcare for Poor and Rural Widows – Widows Rejoice Mission, Nigeria

​By Zipporah Omowunmi Adenike Oladejo. At the Widows Rejoice Mission, we firmly believe that healthcare is a fundamental right, not ...

Widows’ Economic Empowerment in Abia State, Nigeria – Widows Development Organisation (WiDO)

By Dr Eleanor Nwadinobi. In 2018, WiDO received a grant from the Global Fund For Widows. A new palm oil ...

Widows in Gaza and the Impact of War on Their Lives and Their Children

By Hossam Madhoun. Since the outbreak of the war in the Gaza Strip in October 2023, widows have emerged as ...