June 23 is International Widows Day
International Widows Day occurs annually on the 23rd day of June to recognize the plight of the millions of widows across the globe who experience economic and social deprivation after losing their husbands.
Over
259 million widows and their
585 million fatherless children are known to needlessly suffer from disease, illiteracy, human trafficking and poverty. Many also suffer from violence and sexual abuse, and some cultures even consider widows to be a curse and accuse them of witchcraft. In addition, women in many societies lack inheritance or property rights and become dependent on charity or even homeless once their husbands die.
The Loomba Foundation, a non-government organization that provides support to widows and their children for education and rehabilitation, started this special day to recognize the hardships widows face. Officials selected June 23rd for this global event in honor of Pushpa Wati Loomba, the mother of Lord Loomba, who established the Foundation and gained approval from the United Nations in 2010 after spending 5 yrs presenting to the 65th General Assembly. Learn more about details and statistics here.
MWC is honored to fully support this day of awareness and action.
May 2015:
Lord Loomba and MWC Ambassador Alice Jacobs in London, England.
If you are a widow, share your love story with someone in person or on social media.
If you know a widow, do something kind for her. A hug, a card, a message or phone call saying you thought of her today.
MWC Mission Statement:
We serve to empower widows to lean into life, build resilience and release their potential to make a positive difference in the world.
