UN General Assembly declares June 23 as International Widows Day

United Nations A/RES/65/189
General Assembly Distr.: General
23 February 2011
Sixty-fifth session
Agenda item 28 (a)


Resolution adopted by the General Assembly
[on the report of the Third Committee (A/65/449)]
65/189.


International Widows’ Day
The General Assembly,
Recalling all its relevant resolutions, including the United Nations Millennium
Declaration,
1 as well as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights,
2 theConvention on the Rights of the Child,
3 the outcomes of the major United Nationsconferences and summits in the economic and social fields, and, in particular, थे agreed conclusions endorsing the eradication of poverty through the empowermentof women throughout their life cycle adopted by the Commission on the Status of
Women at its forty-sixth session,
4 and the Beijing Declaration and Platform forAction adopted at the Fourth World Conference on Women on 15 September 1995,
5Recalling also the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms ofDiscrimination against Women,6 in particular article 3, according to which parties shall take in all fields, in particular in the political, social, economic and cultural fields, all appropriate measures, including legislation, to ensure the full development and advancement of women,Affirming that ensuring and promoting the full realization of all human rights and fundamental freedoms for all women is critical to achieving all internationallyagreed development goals, including the Millennium Development Goals,

Emphasizing that the economic empowerment of women, including widows, is
a critical factor in the eradication of poverty,

Recognizing that all aspects of the lives of widowed women and their children
are, in many parts of the world, negatively affected by various economic, social and
cultural factors, including lack of access to inheritance, land tenure, employment
and/or livelihood, social safety nets, health care and education,
Recognizing also the link existing between the situation of widows and that of
their children,
Deeply concerned that millions of widows’ children face hunger, malnutrition,
child labour, difficult access to health care, water and sanitation, loss of schooling,
illiteracy and human trafficking,
Reaffirming that women, including widowed women, should be an integral
part of the society in the State where they reside, and recalling the importance of
positive steps on the part of Member States to that end,
Emphasizing the need to give special attention to the situation of widows and
their children, including those living in rural areas,

1. Decides, with effect from 2011, to observe International Widows’ Day on
23 June each year;

2. Calls upon Member States, the United Nations system and other
international and regional organizations, within their respective mandates, to give
special attention to the situation of widows and their children;

3. Invites all Member States, relevant organizations of the United Nations
system and other international organizations, as well as civil society, to observe
International Widows’ Day and to raise awareness of the situation of widows and
their children around the world;

4. Requests the Secretary-General to take the measures necessary, within
existing resources, for the observance by the United Nations of International
Widows’ Day.