Today, Thursday, June 23rd, is International Widows Day. Unlike your usual “national or international day” that spark fun and laughter (i.e. National Pizza Day, National Ice Cream Day), International Widows Day is not about celebration, but acknowledgement. The day is to observe to shed light on the rights and social protections for widows across the world.
For many women who have lost their husbands, in addition to grieving the physical loss of their partner in so many ways, they then have to fight for basic rights, income, for themselves and their children. According to the United Nations, there are over 258 million widows across the nation.
How can you support International Widow Day
The following are some suggestions for you to consider:
- Look out for widows in your area and assist them as much as possible. You can help them financially by giving them money, finding them work, or raising funds for them.
- Use your preferred mode of communication, such as Social Media, Electronic Media, and/or Print Media, to raise awareness about the significance of the day.
- Share quotes about widows in honor of International Widows’ Day.
- Donate to a widow-serving organization, such as Black Young & Widowed, The Modern Widows Club or Widow’s Hope, Maitri India, The Loomba Foundation, Pyari Maa Foundation, Kamla Foundation, and many more.
- Investigate well-known widows such as Queen Victoria, Jacqueline Kennedy, Coretta Scott King, Yoko Ono, and Laurene Powell Jobs.
- Support widows of the church or neighborhood through volunteering.
Conversations Between Widows 