Source: Hueiyen News Service
United Nations, December 22 2010:
In order to address the plight of widows worldwide, the UN General Assembly has declared June 23 as International Widows Day.
This rare designation of an international day of recognition by the UN follows independent verification of shocking levels of violence and deprivation faced by hundreds and millions of widows around the world.
The resolution, approved by the 192 representatives of the Third Committee of the General Assembly, was a passionate personal initiative of Sylvia Bongo Ondimba, the First Lady of Gabon.
UK-based Loomba Foundation had been campaigning for it at the UN for the past several years.
Cherie Blair, wife of the former British Prime Minister, is its president, while Raj Loomba is its founder and chairman.