International Widows’ Day: call to action for their empowerment

Kinshasa, June 23^rd, 2025 (CPA).- A call for the empowerment of widows has been launched on Monday in Kinshasa, capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), during an awareness day for this category of women on the occasion of the celebration of the international day dedicated to them, celebrated on June 23^rd of each year. ‘We are calling for concrete awareness-raising actions to empower widows with the aim of stopping the extent of discrimination against them,’ has declared Bernadette Mesongolo, coordinator of the NGO ‘Bosangisi’. ‘We must salute their courage, because they continue to care for their children despite economic difficulties. They manage their households and maintain their leaders’ roles,’ she has added. Taking the opportunity, this women’s rights activist has denounced the abuse of widows by their communities and the failure of social services to take care of their cases. « Many widow women end up in poverty because some cannot inherit their late husbands’ assets.  Many are expelled from their homes and communities, faced with the challenge of adapting to their new reality as sole providers and parents to their children. The social services offer little or no support, whether in terms of childcare or skills training to find employment, » has concluded Ms Mesongolo. The International Widows’ Day has been initiated by UN Women and the United Nations General Assembly to guarantee the rights of this category of women under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women. Millions of them around the world live in extreme poverty.