In many countries, widowhood is denounced and seen as a source of shame, where they are thought to be cursed in some cultures. Such misconceptions can lead to widows being hated, abused and worse.
Widows are often kicked out from their homes and physically abused – some even killed – even by members of their own family.
In many countries, a woman’s social status is inseparably linked to her husband’s, so that when her husband dies, a woman no longer has a place in society. To regain social status, widows are expected to marry one of their husband’s male relatives, sometimes unwillingly. For many, the loss of a husband is only the first trauma in a long-term ordeal.
The children of widows are often affected, both emotionally and economically. Widowed mothers, now supporting their families alone, are forced to withdraw children from school and to rely on their labour, which is another huge problem. Moreover, the daughters of widows may suffer multiple deprivations, increasing their vulnerability to abuse.
Now this is all a mouthful, but it’s coming from a credible source – the United Nations.
Let’s look at some facts:
- There are an estimated 258.5 million widows globally with 584.6 million offspring.
- The biggest jump has been in the Middle East and North Africa, where the estimated number of widows rose 24 percent between 2010 and 2015, partly due to the Syrian war and other conflicts.
- One in seven widows globally - 38 million - lives in extreme poverty.
- One in 10 women of marital age is widowed.
- A third of widows worldwide live in India or China. India, with an estimated 46 million widows in 2015, is the country with the largest number of widows.
What can we do to help widows?
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