There is a general assumption that widows are elderly and are looked after by their children and grandchildren. But research undertaken during the past two decades by the United Nations and NGOs such as WRI has shown that many widows are young- in India for example 34% of rural widows are under 30 years old. Widows, whether, old or young, suffer a high level of social exclusion, discrimination and deprivation.; in many cases their own adult children cast them out as being too great a burden.

In many countries, particularly in South, East and West Asia and sub Saharan Africa, child marriage, HIV/AIDS, civil strife have greatly increased the numbers of widows.
· In many cultures young girls are married at an early age, often to men considerably older than they are. Of the these young women are married to men who already have more than one other wide. One man’s death may create more than four widows..
· In many societies widows have no rights to inherit either land or property and even lose rights over their children. In Africa and some castes in India widows are often forced into relationships with relatives of their husband. In the higher castes in India, remarriage –even if the widow is young- is prohibited.
· In Africa, traditional mourning and burial rites can be degrading and harmful, inflicting terrible wrongs and abuse –physical, mental and sexual- on emotionally shocked widows.

Graphic testimonies given by widows and activists working on their behalf, have detailed the serious abuse of human rights of widows and their children. Even in countries where modern legislation provides rights to inheritance and land ownership, ignorance of the law, or cultural practices, impede their access to it.

In certain countries in Africa, a widow is thought to be responsible for her husband’s death:
· harmful rites are imposed to punish her.
· she loses her status,
· she is humiliated; sometimes confined for a year;
· she is expected to look unkempt;
· her hair may be shaved and
· the marital home, land and property are seized by the husband’s brothers.
· she may also be forced to have sex with male relatives;
· if she is HIV positive she can be condemned as a witch

In some Asian countries, the pattern is similar. In-laws abrogate the rights of widows and the stigma of widowhood makes it impossible for a widow to re-marry. As in Africa, discriminatory practices are common: widows have to undergo certain rituals, and thousands are forced out of their homes and must seek shelter in temples, where they toil for the rest of their lives, and may be subject to physical and sexual abuses.

It is against this background of deprivation that a number of pioneering women’s rights activists in developed and developing countries began to research and write about the stigma, punishment and isolation of widows in many countries.

* Widows Rights International (WRI), based in London, is a leading advocate for the rights of widows worldwide. It supports organizations working for social justice for widows.

WRI is now actively promoting research into the status of widows, so as to ensure that international organizations, national Governments and the legal profession recognize the special vulnerability of widows to punitive social attitudes and complete denial of their human rights. Our aim is to bring together policy relevant material with which to advocate the creation of international and national instruments protecting the rights of widows. WRI would therefore welcome information from groups in countries where widows face human rights violations so that we can build up a strong case for international and national intervention.

Besides funding activities, especially in the legal field, WRI has created a website –www.widowsrights.org [2] – which provides information about the work which is being done for widows by groups in Asia and Africa. WRI also raises funds to assist such groups and seeks donations to support this work.

WRI’s address is 1-3 Berry Street, London EC1V OAA
e-mail:[email protected] [3].

All contributions – financial or factual- are welcome.