Latest News - Widows for Peace through Democracy

At WPD through our wonderful partners and networkers who send us regular updates, we know that the daughters of widows, if they are not in school, become vulnerable to traffickers, prostitution and unsafe working practices and behaviours. All marginalized children become vulnerable to child labour, child-soldiery, radicalization and unaccompanied migration.

Widows for Peace through Democracy (WPD) joined our partners for International Widows Day on 23 June 2021.
A ‘virtual’ commemorative event was hosted at the Guild of Service India by the South Asian Network for Widows’ Empowerment in Development (SANWED), in collaboration with UN Women on 23 June 2021 to mark the occasion of International Widows Day. This was a webinar focused on the impact of COVID-19 and its subsequent lockdowns on widows, particularly in South Asia.

Covid19 is the world’s widow maker. Building forward transformatively from Covid means supporting marginalized, ‘invisible’ and stigmatized widows of all ages to combat poverty, disease and fight for their rights.

Margaret Owen is a widows’ rights advocate and human rights lawyer. Although she had been involved in the women’s rights movement for most of her life, Owen hadn’t paid attention to widows’ rights until her husband’s passing. Shortly after the death of her husband, a woman from Malawi whom she was helping came to her home. “Before she even sat down, she gasped,” recalls Own. “Looking around my living room, she said, ‘your husbands’ brothers let you stay here and keep all these things?’”

As well as publicly launching our ground-breaking Dossier, we were honoured to be joined by distinguished speakers from the United Nations as well as the authors of and contributors to our Dossier – joining us live on our Zoom platform from Iraq, Kashmir, Kenya, Nepal, New York and the UK, along with a registered worldwide audience…

Launch on 17 March 2021 of our ground-breaking report on widows’ rights at the UN’s Commission on the Status of Women. WPD’s comprehensive new report presents extensively researched evidence of one of today’s most neglected humanitarian issues, with the harrowing testimonies of individual widows presented within a context of current information from leading experts in the field.

On 18 November Widows for Peace through Democracy was delighted to host its first ever participatory Zoom webinar event, joined by partners from around the globe.

Widows for Peace through Democracy (WPD) congratulates CEDAW, the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, on releasing this hugely important General Recommendation…

Widows for Peace through Democracy’s congratulatory message to UN Women, celebrating the occasion of their 10th anniversary.

NEWS FROM WPD, PARTNERS & ASSOCIATES

Ignoring widowhood as a key driver of removing children from school is a grave mistake

Tragic Impact of COVID-19 Highlighted at Widows Day Virtual Event

Join us in taking action to support widows worldwide on International Widows Day 2021

Explainer: What you should know about widowhood (UN Women)

‘WIDOWS SPEAK OUT: Abuse and Discrimination, Resilience and Agency’

Launch of Report on Widows’ Rights #CSW65

Widows for Peace through Democracy (WPD) Partners’ Webinar 2020

CEDAW New Recommendation on Trafficking in Women and Girls

UN Women 10th Anniversary