Introduction – International Widows Day is observed annually on June 23 to spread awareness about the situation of widows across the world. Women who lose their husbands which means a long-term fight for their basic rights and income for their children. As per United Nations, there are around 258 million widows across the world. The main aim of this international day is to show solidarity with women who have lost their partners. Presently, many women are suffering from a financial crisis after the death of their husbands that becomes difficult for them to meet their daily needs and basic healthcare facilities all around the world. There is a rapid increase in the number of widows as their husbands are dead due to Covid-19 in the year 2021.

History –. An NGO based in the United Nations, Loomba Foundation, established International Widows Day in the year 2005. The foundation was chosen the June 23 to observe International Widow Day due to Shrimati Pushpa Wati Loomba, the mother of the founder became a widow on June 23, 1954. The United Nations General Assembly accepted the resolution on December 21, 2010, to observe International Widows Day every year on June 23 all around the world. Thus, firstly, International Widows Day was observed in the year 2011 to spread awareness about the problems or difficulties faced by women during widowhood in their life.

Theme – The theme of International Windows Day in the year 2022 is ‘’Sustainable Solutions for Widows Financial Independence’’ which marks to make widows live independently without any support from family members and society.

Significance – The main aim of this international day is to highlight the difficulties that are faced by the widow in the society and also ignored by her family. Member of the House of Lords of the United Kingdom, Rajinder Paul Loomba came up and started working with the Loomba Foundation to prevent problems or difficulties that are faced by women whose husbands are dead, especially in developing countries. Rajinder Loomba was inspired by his mother who faced several difficulties when she became a widow in 1954 at an age of 37 years old. This international day provides an opportunity for standing in support of widows and making their living conditions much better.

Loomba Foundation worked for children of widows in developing countries who are very poor by helping them for admission to any school. It also actively worked in several countries such as India, and other African and Asian countries.