GFW’s UNGA Side Event
2021
In partnership with the Permanent Mission of Costa Rica to the UN, GFW held a Side Event to the Opening of the UN General Assembly on 27 September, on "Operationalizing Widowhood: Addressing its Intersectionalities Across Existing UN Frameworks.”
Head to our YouTube page to revisit the event, or read our event summary below.
Head to our YouTube page to revisit the event, or read our event summary below.
Human Rights Council
2020
GFW offers moving testimony on to the High Commissioner on Human Rights at the Human Rights Council.
What happens to me after they take everything
Commission on the Status of Women 63rd Session, United Nations, NY, 2019
GFW is honored to be joined by The Right Honorable Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon as it hosts “Widowhood: What Happens to Me After They Take Everything” Parallel Event.
Women’s Access to Justice, Social Protection & Inheritance
Commission on the Status of Women 63rd Session, United Nations, NY, 2019
GFW is honored to present alongside President of UNWomen, Her Excellency Ambassador Penelope Beckles, Michelin Star-rated Chef Vikas Khanna, head of NGO CSW Susan O’Malley, and CTWOO founder Dianah Kamande at the Side Event: Exploring the Linkages between SDG 5, 11, and 16: Women’s Access to Justice, Social Protections, and Inheritance and Key to Achieving the SDGs.
Human Rights Council, Geneva, Switzerland
2018
GFW delivers an insightful intervention at the Human Rights Council in its continuing exposure of the link between widowhood, child marriage, and human trafficking.
2019
GFW delivers a powerful intervention at the Human Rights Council in its continuing exposure of the institutionalized and systemic violations of human rights endured by widows across the globe.
Commission on the Status of Women
62nd Session, United Nations, NY, 2018
At the CSW62, GFW hosted a parallel event titled “’You Will Get Nothing’ and the Poverty Guarantee.” Our panel included widows’ advocates from Human Rights Watch, India, Nigeria, and Kenya, as well as human rights defenders from the USA and UK.
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres’ Town Hall
UN General Assembly, NY 2018
GFW offers the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres an intervention proving widowhood’s direct link to poverty at his General Assembly Town Hall meeting in 2018. His Excellency SG Guterres receives our intervention, acknowledges the importance of sustaining widows and PLEDGES his support to widows and the issue of widowhood globally.
Human Rights Council, Geneva, Switzerland
2016
In an illuminating and shocking speech at the Human Rights Council, the GFW exposed the institutionalized and systemic violations of human rights endured by widows across the globe.
Commission on the Status of Women
61st Session United Nations, NY 2017
At the CSW61, GFW hosted a parallel event titled Widowhood: Economic Empowerment and Achieving the SDGs. Our panel included widows’ advocates from Iraq, India, Nigeria, Nepal, and human rights defenders from the USA, Italy, and UK. The panel illuminated the necessity of economically empowering widows and its impact to achieving SDG 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 10 and 11.
House of Lords, United Kingdom, London 2018
London, 2018
GFW offers Members of Parliament with persuasive, disquieting, and undeniable evidence linking widowhood to poverty, extremist proliferation, poor education, the spread of HIV/AIDS, food insecurity, child marriage, and the unfathomable phenomenon of the child widow.
UN Summit on the Journey to Extremism
2017
In 2017, the GFW responded to a challenge from UNDP Africa Director Abdoulaye Mar Dieye underscoring that economic development must include the protection of widows inheritance rights in order to prevent societal risk of intergenerational poverty.
United Nations Refugee Summit
UN General Assembly, NY, 2016
GFW has been a tireless advocate for widows at the UN General Assembly, underscoring that nearly 50% of the world’s refugees are either WIDOWS or children of widows. Their unique needs such as inability to claim their own nationality must be addressed.
Windows for Widows
Heather Ibrahim Leathers
Womensphere Emerging Leaders Global Summit 2011 : Global Fund for Widows illuminates on “Why Widows” and the direct link between widowhood and global poverty.
Windows for Widows
Heather Leathers & Elaine Barsoom
Womensphere Emerging Leaders Global Summit 2011 : Global Fund for Widows illuminates on “Why Widows” and the direct link between widowhood and global poverty.