International Conference
on
Enriching the Journey towards Empowerment of Widows
4-6 February, 2013
The three day International Conference on ‘ Enriching the Journey towards Empowerment of Widows’ will be held in Nepal on February 4-6, 2013. The conference will be organized by Women for Human Rights, Single Women Group (WHR) with financial and technical assistance from UNDEF and strategic partner organizations.
WHR Background:
WHR is a non-governmental organization, which was established in 1994 with the vision of empowering widows throughout Nepal. WHR helps widows to fight injustice. We work towards the creation of a society where women can live in conditions of equality and justice, empowering themselves in all aspects of their lives from skill development to economic independence. WHR mainly works with widows in rural areas with VEED (Vulnerable, Exploited, Excluded and Disadvantaged) groups. For more than a decade we have been working to improve the status of widows. WHR has organized over 84,000 single women in 1,050 village municipality and development committees in 73 districts of Nepal and has succeed in mobilizing them as key agents of change in their respective communities. As a result of our work, WHR received Special Consultative Status with Economic and Social Council in 2011. WHR works as Secretariat of South Asian Network for Widows’ Empowerment in Development (SANWED) for the rights of widows in South Asia along with its International Partner Widows Peace through Democracy (WPD) UK.
Situation Analysis of widows:
Women comprise of more than male population in the world. Nevertheless, women are viewed as subordinates to their male counterparts. The plight of widows globally is significantly governed by the cultural and religious beliefs. Moreover, widows in South Asia are faced with discrimination. They are excluded by a society, which considers them as inauspicious and symbols of bad omen and ill fate.
Widows and their dependants are unable to obtain their basic needs, such as proper shelter, nutritious food and sanitation. There is a high level of psychological trauma and mental distress. Displaced widows around the world are sexually harassed and exploited. Indeed, children of widows and young widows are highly vulnerable to trafficking and sexual exploitation.
Widow-related gender based violence has not been adequately researched. There is no reliable data or qualitative information on the causes, nature, and consequences of these practices. Widows of all ages, child widows, young mothers and elderly women in developing countries, especially in Africa, South Asia and the Middle East, experience different forms of violence. Across regions, religions, cultures, caste and class, widows are stigmatized for bringing bad luck or being inauspicious. Harmful traditional practices, such as degrading and life-threatening mourning and burial rites that oppress widows within their families are rarely mentioned. Due to illiteracy, location, economic, social and cultural obstacles, widows often have little or no access to the justice systems. The greatest obstacle in preventing and eliminating violence against widows is the lack of data. There is inadequate data related to the numbers of ages as well as numbers of dependents, needs, roles, coping strategies, support systems, legal status, and access to justice of widows.
Purpose of the Conference:
Immediate action is required. WHR calls for the international community to join hands in the quest for justice and human rights for widows around the world.
We aim to disseminate the outcome of the conference at the 57th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW 57) under the theme of Violence against Women. We intend to take the opportunity to express our continuing support for the full and effective implementation of the Beijing Declaration and the Platform of Action (BPfA) and UNSCR 1325 and 1820.
The conference will provide a forum for these women to express their concerns. The international agencies, UN and donor community needs to respond on the journey of widows towards empowerment.
WHR decided to organize an international conference under the theme of ‘Enriching the Journey towards Empowerment of Widows so that widows around the world will have the opportunity to assert their rights. This forum will generate solidarity among the organization working for the rights of widows and pave ways for a movement that will ensure them that their voices would be heard.
Objectives:
The objectives of the conference are:
1. To bring the concerns of UN and other international bodies on the need of Separate UN Resolution on Widowhood .
2. To recognize that widows are the key resources of the community and to Strengthen an effective Network of Widows’ organization in the different regions of the world.
3. To consider widows’ empowerment an important indicator of overall national development and to ensure funding for widows’ empowerment.
4. To form a Global Working Group to ensure the rights of widows as stipulated in Convention on Elimination of All forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW),Beijing Platform for Action (BPFA), and Security Council Resolutions 1325and 1820.
5. To develop a General Recommendation as a base for the shadow report on CEDAW on widowhood collectively under international law to ensure the enactment of resolutions that protects the legal and customary rights of the widows.