WRI Newsletter 6th Edition March 2006
Editorial
Efforts by WRI to garner international support for action against harmful traditional beliefs and practices surrounding widowhood continue. This year, WRI is continuing to build up support for action at the United Nations which would instruct the world body to undertake research into the conditions and status of widows, particularly in Asia and Africa, and to promote commitment by Governments to end abuses against widows.
WRI sent a delegation to the recent Commission on the Status of Women, held at the United Nations, New York from February 27 to March 10. Meetings were held with many of the representatives of community groups, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and human rights practitioners working on widowhood issues. At a special event, Widows Rites and Wrongs, organised by WRI to raise awareness of the issues, testimonies from widows in Africa and India were read out and served to highlight in a personal but painful way the suffering which so many widows undergo in many countries.
Meetings were also held with representative of Governments and the success of these meetings in New York and the expressions of support for WRI’s work have invigorated us to widen our outreach to prominent legislators in African countries as well as in India and Nepal. We will be working with Governments to sponsor a resolution at the United Nations which will facilitate the inclusion of widowhood issues in all aspects of the work for gender equality being undertaken by the entire UN family.
This is especially important because in the Secretary General’s proposals for the agenda of the CSW over the next few years, widows are mentioned only in the context of HIV/AIDS prevention. No mention was made of widows in sections devoted to inheritance and property rights, action in support of the rights of the child, or any of the other issues which are included under the rubric of gender equality.
It is to redress this blatant disregard of the human rights of widows that WRI will be campaigning in the coming months and we seek the support of Governments, NGOs and concerned individuals.
NEWS FROM AFRICA
WOP, our partner in Uganda
WiDO, our partner in Nigeria Eve's Story 
WOM, a sister organisation in Ghana
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Victory for Human Rights in Africa (Solidarity for African Women's Rights)
Women’s Inheritance Rights to Land
Landmark ruling, Lusaka, Zambia
Traditional Inheritors(Kenya)
NEWS FROM ASIA
ASHISH, our partner in Secunderabad.. Esther's Story
ASTHA, our partner in Rajasthan.. Kamal Patik's Story
AWEC, our partner in Afghanistan A Survey
Good News for Widows in Kabul (CARE)
India, Cultural Symbols of Widowhood
Woman’s inheritance: next steps
Widows in Bangladesh
WHR, a Sister organisation in Nepal
Women’s property, Supreme Court ruling
From WRI Newsletter 6 - Full copies of the Newsletter available from WRI office