Breaking the Silence: Confronting the Plight of Widows Worldwide

Despite economic hardships and discrimination, governments and aid groups appear to be focusing more assistance on this group of women who are often left to fend for themselves.

By all accounts, the plight of widows encompasses numerous challenges and obstacles throughout their lives. In some regions of the world, they can lose their home and property, be abandoned by children or in-laws, be socially excluded, and face other hardships. Armed conflicts, displacement, migration and the COVID-19 pandemic have increased the number of women who are either now widows or are missing their life partner.[1]

“In the face of divorce or widowhood, women often struggle with economic hardship,” said Asli Demirguc-Kunt, director of research at the World Bank. “Unfortunately, designing effective policies to prevent these women from falling into poverty is hamstrung by sparse data and research.”[2] Adds the United Nations: “For many women around the world, the devastating loss of a partner is magnified by a long-term fight for their basic rights and dignity….Widows have historically been left unseen, unsupported, and unmeasured in our societies.”[3]

Yet, while many of the world’s 258 million (some estimates go as high as 285 million) widows face continuing inequality, there are also signs that their plight has drawn the attention of various governments and rights groups. This has created economic boosts and awareness that didn’t exist in the past. One example is South Asia, the subject of a mid-2019 New York Times report about the significant improvement in the quality of life for many of the nation’s castaway widows.

In one country in South Asia, efforts have been made for widows rights and support initiatives, helping improve their conditions, and provide them with the support they need. Government initiatives and projects have been introduced to uplift these women and address their needs. For instance, there are facilities in which a government-run center is offering accommodation, amenities like a swimming pool, and providing free food and medicine. In addition to these measures, significant investments have been made by the government and rights groups to enhance the lives of abandoned women, assisting widows. These investments have supported the construction of group homes for widows, the establishment of pension programs, work training opportunities, and improved access to medical treatment.

The cities where these facilities are located has witnessed positive changes as a result of this assistance. Widows who once relied on singing in temples or begging for survival have started to challenge societal norms and embrace their self-worth. They have traded their traditional white garments for colorful attire, reflecting a newfound sense of dignity and empowerment.[4]

“They used to think only in white, nothing else,” said Vinita Verma. “When they were praying, they were crying. When they were cooking, they were crying. Now, they have value.”[5]

Good news has appeared in other publications. A December 2021 story about the Global Fund for Widows (GFW) spotlighted the world’s largest non-profit organization empowering widows in the developing world through the Widows’ Savings and Loan Associations, micro-banks that provide a permanent source of capital for small start-ups. The Washington Informer said the GFW had built 109 banks around the world, helping 20,000 widows and 54,000 of their children in seven nations. A pilot program was being explored for an eighth.[6]

Such progress is vital, according to GFW President Heather Ibrahim-Leathers. Her group’s annual report for 2020 said African widows are among the most vulnerable women on the continent. The report said many are subjected to dehumanizing cultural and ritual practices, such as cleansing that involves having sex with her husband’s brother or other relative. It said widows face systemic disinheritance and discrimination that are linked to hunger, poor health and other ills.[7]

“Our innovative financial inclusion programming centers on the simple tenet of the Golden Rule: she who has the gold, makes the rules,” Ibrahim-Leathers said. “It is not enough for me to teach the widows how to fish. I want the widows to own the lake. Then they can charge for fishing, shipping, docking and swimming. That is how they will attain true sustainability (and) gender equality.”[8]

Join us in bringing hope to the most vulnerable women in Asia. With your invaluable support, GFA World missionaries can offer a lifeline to widows in desperate circumstances, equipping them with income-generating necessities such as sewing machines and farm animals, as well as vital supplies like blankets and water filters. Through your selfless contribution, these broken souls will not only hear about Christ’s care but will also encounter His love firsthand, discovering a renewed sense of dignity, tranquility, and the promise of eternal life.

Learn more about pandemic poverty

[1] “International Widows Day.” United Nations. https://www.un.org/en/observances/widows-day. Accessed June 2023.
[2] “Invisible and Excluded: The Fate of Widows and Divorcees in Africa.” World Bank. https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2018/01/20/invisible-and-excluded-the-fate-of-widows-and-divorcees-in-africa. January 20, 2018.
[3] “Explainer: What you should know about widowhood.” UN Women. https://www.unwomen.org/en/news/stories/2021/6/explainer-what-you-should-know-about-widowhood. June 21, 2021.
[4] Schultz, Kai. “India’s Widows, Abused at Home, Have Sought Refuge in This Holy City for Centuries.” New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/27/world/asia/india-women-widows.html. August 27, 2019.
[5] Ibid.
[6] Cooper, Austin R. Jr. “The Global Fund for Widows is Changing the World.” The Washington Informer. https://www.washingtoninformer.com/cooper-the-global-fund-for-widows-is-changing-the-world/. December 28, 2021.
[7] Cooper, Austin R. Jr. “The Global Fund for Widows is Changing the World.” The Washington Informer. https://www.washingtoninformer.com/cooper-the-global-fund-for-widows-is-changing-the-world/. December 28, 2021.
[8] Cooper, Austin R. Jr. “The Global Fund for Widows is Changing the World.” The Washington Informer. https://www.washingtoninformer.com/cooper-the-global-fund-for-widows-is-changing-the-world/. December 28, 2021.