The Loomba Foundation held an event to mark International Widows’ Day at the Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi on Saturday, 23rd June, 2018.
The event was attended by the Hon’ble Vice President, as Chief Guest and the Hon’ble Union Minister of Law and Justice as Guest of Honour. Mrs Cherie Blair CBE QC, President of the Loomba Foundation travelled to Delhi to attend this important event, together with Lord and Lady Loomba.
The event was attended by over 800 people including over 300 widows, who are benefiting from the Loomba Foundation.
Hon’ble Vice President, M Venkaiah Naidu, said that it is a matter of concern that widows are looked down upon and at times meted out unjust treatment even in the present digital area. He also added that there is a need for a change in the mindset towards the asking “if a man can remarry why can’t a woman ?”
Speaking at the event, Union Law Minister, Ravi Shankar Prasad echoed same sentiments. Prasad said that steps taken for the empowerment of widows will not be successful unless it is taken as a mass movement. Without a change in attitude we cannot change it.
“The Indian Government to take steps to improve the conditions of widows in the country. India has 46 million widows, the largest in any country. I urge the Indian Government to set up National Commission for women. I also urge the Government to include widows in the minority section to provide them various assistance” Loomba said.
Following the event in India, the Loomba Foundation held on Monday, 25th June, a Reception in the River Room at the House of Lords, to mark International Widows’ Day in London, with the courtesy of the Lord Speaker. It was attended by over 60 high profile guests including Rt Hon Lord Bates, Minister of International Development and many other dignitaries.
Lord McFall, welcoming guests to the House of Lords, on behalf of the Speaker of the House, Lord Fowler, described how, the first ever "International Widows Day of Action" was inaugurated at the House of Lords in 2005. Saying it was always a pleasure to hear about the progress that has been made since those early days in combating the humanitarian issues that widows face, Lord McFall praised Lord Loomba for his hard work and dedication.
Citing some of the reasons why the UN granted official status to International Widows Day, in 2010, Lord Loomba described the 'double-discrimination' widows face on the death of their husband. It is practiced in some cultures, and societies, to take away a widow's land and possessions, blame her for the death of her husband, and to ostracise the widow, thus depriving her of her dignity and often her livelihood.
Guests listened in awe as President of the Loomba Foundation, Mrs Cherie Blair QC, described the tenacity and determination with which Lord Loomba, over a relatively short period of five years, stoically persuaded the UN to grant official status to the day.
"The treatment of widows," Mrs Blair said, "is at the core of gender discrimination;" adding, that it is a worldwide problem, even widows in this country face isolation, and often do not have the same pension as men. Noting that all this hard work is starting to pay off, Mrs Blair revealed that the Supreme Court in India will be discussing on 31st July, 2018, a petition to help widows in India, which has been put forwarded by the Loomba Foundation.
Increasing the demand for action Lord Loomba called on the British Government to examine and monitor the treatment of women and children in countries where the "local customs and traditions" meant widows and their families were facing hardship and destitution.
