Ann Davison, member of NCW attended a follow up meeting to the UN Commission on the Status of Women in London on 25 April 2023. The meeting focused on the topic of widowhood: a critical, yet neglected global gender issue, affecting an estimated over 300 million widows and 500 million of their children. Widows can be doubly disadvantaged – both as women and as widows.

Widows in developing countries can lose income, status, and access, largely due to disinheritance, including the loss of resources they contributed at the beginning of the marriage or during it. Widows can also be subject to institutionalised discrimination and harmful traditional practices.

How can we legally and economically empower widows to rise from poverty and defend their rights? 70% of widows say what they need is access to finance or work – economic empowerment. Women and girls’ education is also vital so that they know their rights and are able to defend them. These are important areas for the UK’s overseas aid budget.

To find out more read this article.