During 16 days of activism against Gender-based violence, GWI co- sponsored the Widows Rights International ( WRI) event at the House of Lords, attended by GWI IPP Patrice Wellesley-Cole, hosted by Baroness Verma on 1st December ,2025. Baroness Uddin joined later. GWI’s fellow co- sponsors were Soroptimists , NAWO ( National Alliance of Women’s Organisations) and ADVANCE.
Speakers included Berthe de Vos Nevan, UN Advocacy Soroptomists, Ahlam Akram representing Palestinian Widows and other Stories, Alison Marshall , CEO Age International and Zarin Hainsworth OBE Chair NAWO and UK Civil Society Women’s Alliance. There was wide – ranging representation not only from NAWO and Soroptomists, but also from Business and Professional Women( BP) and other organisations as can be seen from the group photo above. We heard inspiring stories and powerful testimony.
Of 258 million widows globally, 168 million are children. They face double discrimination.
Berthe de Vos Nevan stressed that 76 countries restrict women from inheriting property and SIGBI urges action in the following areas:-
- The need for social and economic empowerment and access to education and credit.
- Social protection in respect of inheritance rights.
- Gender sensitive budgeting.
- A change of culture.
- Disaggregated data on Women for gender- based policies.
- This is a cross- cutting Human rights crisis for widows.
Alison Marshall concentrated on older widows and sexism, ableism and ageism in Malawi and Ethiopia. She advocated that Social protection needs to be integrated into national policies on pensions, reforming inheritance rights and addressing structural inequalities. Crucially, a Convention on older Women be drafted. She concluded ‘No working about us, Without us’
Zarin Hainsworth highlighted the position of Widows in Tanzania who are respected as Teachers in their Communities. Their wisdom and erudition has led to a FGM free Society and from the scourge of Child Marriage and less disinheritance of widows. Such advocacy showcased GWI’s partnership with sister organisations elevating the often overlooked challenges of widowhood globally in all its manifestations. We are grateful to WRI for affording us the opportunity to co-sponsor it and Congratulate WRI on such a successful outcome.
