The United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) is regarded as for the attention to the dilemma and troubles of the widows who are stigmatised, shunned and shamed because of the demise of their husbands.
on the occasion of the 2018 International Widows’ Day, The UN Women, celebrated the day on the 23rd June said there were estimated 258 million widows worldwide and internationally.
The UN agency highlighted and focused the vital role of the widows for the and toward the society, the ways in which gender inequality impacts on their ability which is to thrive on their own, and the specific recognition and attention that they required to received from the society.
The Executive Director of UN Women, Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, said in her message for this crucial Day, that: “We owe it to the widows of the world to give them the respect, visibility and unique support they need”.
Ms Mlambo-Ngcuka said the loss of a spouse or partner is actually regarded as the devastating, but for many women it was overstated by a “long-term struggle” still even for basic needs, human rights and dignity.
The UN said that the abuse of widows and their children “one of the most serious violations of human rights and obstacles to development today”.
“We must consider both the vital role widows play in our society, the ways in which gender inequality impacts their ability to thrive on their own, and the specific recognition and attention that they need from all of us,” she said.
The UN said across the different nations of the world, as per the religious and ethnic groups, when a woman’s husband dies, she is left destitute – often illiterate or uneducated with no access to credit, even any simple economic resources – AS per the representation her unable to support herself or her family.
As per the UN Women’s 2018 Turning Promises into Action: Gender Equality in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, virtually and practically, around one-in-10 of the estimated 258 million widows worldwide live in extreme poverty, with little or no input to policies to have a proper survival even.
“When widows with young children lose property, income and other assets – especially in the absence of support for unpaid care work – they may be forced to take their daughters out of school to work or help take care of siblings and housework”.
“This is how gender inequality perpetuates itself, continuing the cycle of disadvantage for girls and women for decades to come,” Mlambo-Ngcuka told.
The General Assembly, in 2010, set aside 23rd June each year to give tribute to the millions of living spouses who tolerate extreme poverty, ostracism, violence, homelessness and prejudice and favoritism.
While violence against women is one of the most peculiar violations over the human rights, widows may be at predominantly high risk, the UN said.
“In many countries widows find themselves the victims of physical and mental violence, including sexual abuse related to inheritance, land and property disputes.
“Moreover, they often endure poor nutrition, inadequate shelter and vulnerability to violence – combined with a lack of access to health care.
“While they are frequently rape victims and, through economic insecurity, sometimes driven to sex work, their gynecological needs often go unaddressed,” the UN said.
Ms Mlambo-Ngcuka highlighted and focused to empower the women of the globe, blockade to justice must be removed and social stigma rules and norms to tackled same.
“On this International Widows’ Day, let us remember that widows are heroes, working hard to keep families, communities, and societies together following the loss of their spouses.
“As societies we owe it to the widows of the world to give them the respect, visibility and unique support they need,” the UN Women chief told.
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