WUNRN
WIDOWS FOR PEACE THROUGH DEMOCRACY
36
44 (0) 207 603 9733
November 19th, 2009
WPD, a leading NGO representing widows and wives of the “disappeared” in mainly developing and conflict afflicted countries, is pleased for the opportunity to make a presentation on this neglected gender/human rights issue of WIDOWS in the context of the CEDAW Convention.
A. CREATING AWARENESS
OF WIDOWS’ RIGHTS IN THE CEDAW FRAMEWORK
a) To create much
greater awareness among State Parties and the international community generally
of the gross discrimination and abuse experienced by the increasing millions of
widows of all ages across a wide spectrum of countries, regions, cultures,
religions, class, caste, irrespective of economic/educational status. Such
discrimination clearly falls within the remit of the CEDAW. While all the articles of the convention have
relevance to the status of widows and to State Parties’ obligations to take all
appropriate measures to eliminate the discrimination that oppresses them, some
articles are especially relevant:
(i)
ART. 5 on the requirement to “modify the social and cultural patterns…”.
Widowhood in many countries represents a “social death”. Widows are
systematically marginalized, and social attitudes and interpretations of
customs and religion mark widows out as people to be shunned and avoided.
Mourning and burial rites are mainly harmful, degrading as well as being
discriminatory. The vernacular words for widows, across cultures, are often
synonymous with “witch, harlot, prostitute”. Widows are regarded as the lowest
of all women, and are most vulnerable to physical, sexual and psychological
abuse both within their families and in the community. Widows in conflict and
post conflict scenarios are particularly at risk. Governments are obligated to
address such stigmatization.
(ii)
ART 16 on Personal Status and Family law should be a means of
protecting, inter alia, widows’
rights to inheritance, land, and property; from forced remarriage to a dead
husband’s relative (widow-inheritance and “levirate”)
from property-grabbing, evictions, and custody of children.
(iv)
Other Articles ( e.g. 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15) should be protecting
widows from discrimination in areas of education, health care, mobility,
employment, access to agricultural extension services, credit, and most
importantly access to the justice system and to participate at all levels in
decision-making. In many countries widows’ lives are determined exclusively at
the local level under patriarchal custom and discriminatory interpretations of
religion.
B. REQUESTING A GENERAL RECOMMENDATION FROM
CEDAW ON STATE PARTIES RESPONSIBILITY TO ELIMINATE DISCRIMINATION AGAINST
WIDOWS
Such recommendation
we understand has now been made in relation to the position of Older Women.
However, while many older women are widows, there are many uncounted millions
of widows who are young, young mothers and many are still children – the child
widows who suffer multiple discrimination. Given the huge increase in the
numbers of widows and wives of the missing due to armed conflict, ethnic
cleansing, violence and lawlessness, as well as the AIDS pandemic, WPD hopes
that the Committee will consider this request.
C. REQUESTING THE COMMITTEE TO CONSIDER
DEVELOPING A QUESTIONNAIRE ON WIDOWHOOD TO BE SENT TO ALL STATE PARTIES, AS WAS
DONE ON VAW (VIOLENCE TO WOMEN).
WIDOWHOOD is not simply an issue of hidden discrimination for developing countries. Widowhood is also an issue of vital importance, neglected in many developed nations, and very much in the context of the world financial crisis, wars and conflict and resulting war-widows, the global food crisis, the HIV/AIDS epidemic, and widows among populations of refugees, asylum-seekers, internally displaced, migrant and immigrant women, including in ethnic minority groups. The full spectrum of human rights and social justice, is absolutely a challenge for widows throughout the world.
Margaret Owen Director, WPD
Widows for Peace
Through Democracy
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