{"id":3404,"date":"2023-09-22T06:22:29","date_gmt":"2023-09-22T06:22:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/md-ht-3.bigrock.tempwebhost.net\/~apacewut\/loomba-foundation.com\/?page_id=3404"},"modified":"2024-10-29T07:36:07","modified_gmt":"2024-10-29T07:36:07","slug":"progress","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/loomba.map.studio\/?page_id=3404","title":{"rendered":"Progress"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-page\" data-elementor-id=\"3404\" class=\"elementor elementor-3404\">\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-673c580 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"673c580\" data-element_type=\"container\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-cdeb76c elementor-widget elementor-widget-html\" data-id=\"cdeb76c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"html.default\">\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"inner \">\r\n<ul class=\"breadcrumbs none-style\">\r\n \t<li><a href=\"https:\/\/loomba.map.studio\/\">Home<\/a><\/li>\r\n \t<li class=\"active\"><a>Our Work<\/a><\/li>\r\n \t<li class=\"DAY\"><a href=\"https:\/\/loomba.map.studio\/advocacy\/\">Advocacy<\/a><\/li>\r\n \t<li class=\"window\"><a href=\"https:\/\/loomba.map.studio\/international-widows-day\/\">International Widows Day<\/a><\/li>\r\n \t<li class=\"active\">Progress<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<style>\r\n.inner ul li {\r\n    float: left;\r\n    font-size: 15px;\r\n    padding: 0px 9px;>\r\n}\r\n.inner ul li::after {\r\n    position: absolute;\r\n    content: \"\uf10a\";\r\n    font-family: Flaticon;\r\n    top: 50%;\r\n    left: 55px;\r\n    margin-top: -17px; \r\n    font-size: 9px;\r\n    color: #009688;    transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;\r\n}\r\n.inner ul li.active::after {    \r\n    position: absolute;\r\n    content: \"\uf10a\";\r\n    font-family: Flaticon;\r\n    top: 50%;\r\n    left: 140px;\r\n    margin-top: -17px;\r\n    font-size: 9px;\r\n    color: #009688;\r\n    transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;\r\n}\r\nli.DAY::before {\r\n    position: absolute;\r\n    content: \"\uf10a\";\r\n    font-family: Flaticon;\r\n    top: 50%;\r\n    left: 225px;\r\n    margin-top: -17px;\r\n    font-size: 9px;\r\n    color: #009688;\r\n    transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;\r\n}\r\nli.window::before {\r\n    position: absolute;\r\n    content: \"\uf10a\";\r\n    font-family: Flaticon;\r\n    top: 50%;\r\n    left: 420px;\r\n    margin-top: -17px;\r\n    font-size: 9px;\r\n    color: #009688;\r\n    transition: all 0.3s ease-in-out;\r\n}\r\nul.breadcrumbs.none-style {\r\n    margin: 0px;\r\n}\r\n<\/style>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-0d0f2c7 elementor-section-content-middle elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"0d0f2c7\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-background-overlay\"><\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-extended\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-2540abc ot-flex-column-vertical\" data-id=\"2540abc\" data-element_type=\"column\">\r\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2fa3000 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"2fa3000\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Message to Member States<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-94f9eb3 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"94f9eb3\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tIn January 2011, just a few weeks after the UN General Assembly unanimously designated 23 June as the annual International Widows Day, Raj Loomba took up his seat in the House of Lords and vowed to use that parliamentary platform in the United Kingdom to highlight human rights and in particular the plight of widows all over the world.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t<\/section>\r\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-ca8000b elementor-section-content-middle elementor-section-full_width elementor-section-stretched elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"ca8000b\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;,&quot;stretch_section&quot;:&quot;section-stretched&quot;}\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-background-overlay\"><\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-no\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-71379fd ot-column-items-center ot-flex-column-vertical\" data-id=\"71379fd\" data-element_type=\"column\">\r\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c49328f elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"c49328f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"640\" src=\"https:\/\/loomba.map.studio\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/PROGRESS-1-1024x640.jpg\" class=\"elementor-animation-pulse-grow attachment-large size-large wp-image-3421\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-063c4c7 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"063c4c7\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><em>\u2018Widows Lining Up for Food in Vrindhaban\u2019, by Reeta Sarkar, oil on canvas, 2011.<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t<\/section>\r\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-0be9135 elementor-section-content-middle elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"0be9135\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-background-overlay\"><\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-extended\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-b62af7b ot-flex-column-vertical\" data-id=\"b62af7b\" data-element_type=\"column\">\r\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e33d9cb elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"e33d9cb\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>That year on 23 June, 57 years to the day since Shrimati Pushpa Wati Loomba had become a widow, the first official UN International Widows Day was marked with a message from UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon to all UN Member States, stressing that addressing the plight of widows will bring us closer to ending poverty and promoting peace around the world.<\/p><p>A conference on widows at the UN headquarters that day was attended by 500 delegates drawn from many countries. Chaired by the wife of the Secretary-General, Mme Ban Soon-Taek, participants included Dr Michelle Bachelet, then the Executive Director of UN Women, Mme Sylvia Bongo Ondimba, the First Lady of Gabon, Loomba Foundation President Cherie Blair, and Lord Loomba.<\/p><p>Noting that International Widows Day had been initiated in 2005 by the Loomba Foundation, Dr Bachelet remarked that \u201cattention to the world\u2019s widows is long overdue. This first International Widows Day,\u201d she continued, \u201cis a vital first step in promoting the protection and respect for their rights, across all regions and cultures.\u201d The plight of widows, Dr Bachelet noted, \u201chighlights the need to empower women economically and strengthen their land, property and inheritance rights in all countries&#8230; on equal terms with men.\u201d<\/p><p>The evening before, Yoko Ono had opened an exhibition of paintings about widowhood by the British Indian artist Reeta Sarkar in the United Nations building.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6b4aa87 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"6b4aa87\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Goats on London Bridge<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t<\/section>\r\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-7d817ac elementor-section-full_width elementor-section-stretched elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"7d817ac\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;stretch_section&quot;:&quot;section-stretched&quot;}\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-no\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-e7404f6 ot-column-items-center ot-flex-column-vertical\" data-id=\"e7404f6\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\r\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-30a2c55 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"30a2c55\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1210\" height=\"1421\" src=\"https:\/\/loomba.map.studio\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/PROGRESS-2.jpg\" class=\"elementor-animation-pulse-grow attachment-full size-full wp-image-3436\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-d5f4840 ot-column-items-center ot-flex-column-vertical\" data-id=\"d5f4840\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\r\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-background-overlay\"><\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8f66dff elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"8f66dff\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><strong>The London Bridge walk, which attracted a great deal of media attention, saw Cilla Black and Nancy Dell\u2019Olio among other prominent women drive a herd of goats across the bridge &#8211; underlining the significance of the goat as an economic lifeline in many rural communities worst affected by global poverty.<\/strong><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t<\/section>\r\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-84fb1ee elementor-section-content-middle elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"84fb1ee\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-background-overlay\"><\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-extended\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-3d26ca4 ot-flex-column-vertical\" data-id=\"3d26ca4\" data-element_type=\"column\">\r\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8010dc7 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"8010dc7\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>In London, three high profile events took place: an exhibition of Reeta Sarkar\u2019s paintings at 10 Downing Street with a reception hosted by Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg and his wife Miriam Gonzales Durantez, a celebrity walk across London Bridge, and a banquet at the Whitehall Banqueting House. The London Bridge walk, which attracted a great deal of media attention, saw Cilla Black and Nancy Dell&#8217;Olio among other prominent women drive a herd of goats across the bridge &#8211; underlining the significance of the goat as an economic lifeline in many rural communities worst affected by global poverty.<\/p><p>In his message to Member States on the second UN International Widows Day, Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon called for the removal of all \u201cdiscriminatory laws, policies and practices that impede widows from enjoying the dignity and equality they deserve.\u201d He expressed special concern about the plight of widows in situations of conflict and natural disasters, saying they should have the opportunity to participate in decisions on humanitarian relief and peacebuilding so they can help build a better future.<\/p><p>\u201cOn this International Widows Day, let us resolve to end all discrimination against the world&#8217;s widows, and to enable them to enjoy their full human rights. The benefits will extend to their children, communities and society as a whole.\u201d<\/p><p>The following month, The Loomba Foundation was granted Special Consultative Status by the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations, in recognition of its specialist expertise.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6b4259a elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"6b4259a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Championing the rights of women<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5753257 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"5753257\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>The number of countries and organisations involved in the campaign has grown steadily. In 2013, events to mark International Widows Day took place in many countries throughout Asia and Africa. In London, more than 500 people took part in a five kilometre charity race in Hyde Park, and the following day, the Loomba Foundation hosted an International Widows Conference at the House of Lords with participants including Acting Head of UN Women Lakshmi Puri, human rights campaigner Bianca Jagger and UK International Development Minister Baroness Northover.<\/p><p>In recognition of his work raising awareness of the plight of widows around the world, UN Women used the occasion to invest Raj Loomba as its first \u2018Women\u2019s Rights Champion\u2019.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3690588 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"3690588\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"579\" src=\"https:\/\/loomba.map.studio\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/PROGRESS-3-1024x579.jpg\" class=\"elementor-animation-pulse-grow attachment-large size-large wp-image-3455\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2f5bec2 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"2f5bec2\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Government Support<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-675c455 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"675c455\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Empowerment was the central theme of The Loomba Foundation\u2019s International Widows Day dinner at the House of Lords in London on 23 June 2014, when the president of Lions Club International, Barry Palmer, announced its partnership with The Loomba Foundation to train and equip 2,000 widows to make a living in sewing and tailoring, to an audience including UK Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg and Indian High Commissioner Ranjan Mathai.<\/p><p>A week later, on 30 June, Lord Loomba initiated a debate in the House of Lords highlighting the UN&#8217;s International Widows Day. He quoted UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon\u2019s statement that it is \u201cour collective responsibility to safeguard the human rights and dignity of widows\u201d. On behalf of the British Government, International Development Minister Baroness Northover pledged support for continued combined efforts \u201cto achieve real gender equality and empowerment of women and girls, including widows\u201d.<\/p><p>Another breakthrough came in 2015, ten years after the Loomba Foundation had launched International Widows Day and five years after its adoption by the United Nations. On International Widows Day in June, events included a 10th anniversary dinner in Westminster, a Widows Conference at the UN Information Centre in New Delhi and the launch of a skills training and empowerment programme for inmates of the Gurgaon and Faridabad Jails in Haryana.<\/p><p>Later that year, the Loomba Foundation launched a new, completely revised edition of its global rsearch, the World Widows Report.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-42ccfa7 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"42ccfa7\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"536\" src=\"https:\/\/loomba.map.studio\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/PROGRESS-4-1024x536.jpg\" class=\"elementor-animation-pulse-grow attachment-large size-large wp-image-3460\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a917197 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"a917197\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><em>Launching the World Widows Report at the United Nations in New York, March 2016: Julie Morizet (UK Foreign Office), Baroness Northover, Lord Loomba, Margaret Owen and Kasper de Graaf.<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5721644 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"5721644\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>The World Widows Report was discussed with journalists at a briefing at the Royal Institute of International Affairs at Chatham House in London in December 2015 and presented to Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon at the United Nations later that month. On 17 March 2016, it was launched in New York at a parallel event during the 60th anniversary meeting of the UN Commission on the Status of Women with a warning that the newly-adopted Sustainable Development Goals will not be achieved unless urgent action is taken on the issue of deprivation faced by widows.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8e80275 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"8e80275\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"549\" src=\"https:\/\/loomba.map.studio\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/PROGRESS-5-1024x549.jpg\" class=\"elementor-animation-pulse-grow attachment-large size-large wp-image-3473\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-897bae8 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"897bae8\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Sustainable Development<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-44f9b42 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"44f9b42\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>The point was picked up by Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon in his message on International Widows Day 2016. \u2018The 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda with its pledge to leave no one behind has a particular resonance for widows, who are among the most marginalised and isolated,\u201d he said. \u2018On International Widows\u2019 Day, let us pledge to make widows more visible in our societies, and to support them in living productive, equal and fulfilling lives.\u201d<\/p><p>The World Widows Report, in a comprehensive review carried out by the Economic and Social Research Council-funded Centre for Population Change at Southampton University, was described as \u2018an important contribution to academic scholarship on the subject of Widows\u201d. The Report is beginning to have an impact on the debate, as witnessed by citation in documents such as the 2017 Human Rights Watch Report on widows in Zimbabwe, and the underpinning of the National Geographic&#8217;s prominent feature on widows in its February 2017 edition.<\/p><p><br \/>The actress Joanna Lumley, a long-standing patron and supporter of the Loomba Foundation, launched an airship over the Houses of Parliament on International Widows Day 2017 to raise awareness of the cause, and at a dinner that evening, Raj Loomba paid tribute to retiring Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon, thanking him for his support. He also expressed thanks to successive governments of the UK and India, in particular Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who had launched the Foundation\u2019s empowerment programme for widows in Varanasi that year.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6d911cb elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"6d911cb\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"604\" src=\"https:\/\/loomba.map.studio\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/PROGRESS-6-1024x604.jpg\" class=\"elementor-animation-pulse-grow attachment-large size-large wp-image-3480\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c9dcf9a elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"c9dcf9a\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><em>From left: India&#8217;s Union ioe of Law and Justice Ravi Shankar Prasad, Loomba Foundation President Cherie Blair, Shri Venkaiah Nadu, the Vice-President of India, and Lord Loomba, at the International Widows Day event in New Delhi, 23 June 2018.<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d8aecc6 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"d8aecc6\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">A Social Movement For Change<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-78c0739 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"78c0739\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\r\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>On 23 June 2018, the eighth official UN International Widows Day, powerful support was expressed by two leading Indian politicians in New Delhi. Speaking at an event organised by the Loomba Foundation to mark the day, the Union Minister for Law and Justice, Ravi Shankar Prasad, said that his ministry would take \u2018decisive intervention in favour of the rights of widows\u201d and emphasised this must be part of a wider social movement. \u2018Without a change in attitude we cannot change much,\u201d he pointed out.<\/p><p>The country\u2019s Vice-President, Mr Venkaiah Nadu, also called for a change in mindset. \u2018We as a society heed to reflect on the social attitudes towards widows,\u201d Mr Nadu said, \u2018and how the stigma, humiliation and isolation attached to widowhood can be overcome. It is inter-twined with gender discrimination, which runs as an unfortunate undercurrent in contemporary Indian society.<\/p><p>\u2018Girls and women need to be provided equal and equitable access to good education and livelihood opportunities,\u201d he added. \u2018Our concept of New India encompasses economically emancipated women. If that vision is realised, many of the social ills like atrocities on women and neglect of widows can become a thing of the past\u201d.<\/p><p>The combination of awareness events and evidence gathered by research has, since the first UN-recognised International Widows Day in 2011, produced much greater coverage of events and widows\u2019 issues by media organisations including Reuters, the BBC, the New York Times, CNN, National Geographic, The Huffington Post and others, and generated a growing awareness among governments.<\/p><p>Much progress has been achieved. The goal, however, has not yet been reached, so the Loomba Foundation will continue its efforts to raise awareness and develop the foundations for evidence-based policy so that one day, the widespread and endemic discrimination against widows will be eradicated from our world.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t<\/section>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Home Our Work Advocacy International Widows Day Progress Message to Member States In January 2011, just a few weeks after the UN General Assembly unanimously designated 23 June as the annual International Widows Day, Raj Loomba took up his seat in the House of Lords and vowed to use that parliamentary platform in the United [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"ub_ctt_via":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-3404","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"featured_image_src":null,"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v24.6 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Progress - The Loomba Foundation<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/loomba.map.studio\/?page_id=3404\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Progress - The Loomba Foundation\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Home Our Work Advocacy International Widows Day Progress Message to Member States In January 2011, just a few weeks after the UN General Assembly unanimously designated 23 June as the annual International Widows Day, Raj Loomba took up his seat in the House of Lords and vowed to use that parliamentary platform in the United [&hellip;]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/loomba.map.studio\/?page_id=3404\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"The Loomba Foundation\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/people\/Loomba-Foundation\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2024-10-29T07:36:07+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/loomba.map.studiowp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/PROGRESS-1-1024x640.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@TheLoomba_Org\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"9 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/loomba.map.studio\/?page_id=3404\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/loomba.map.studio\/?page_id=3404\",\"name\":\"Progress - The Loomba Foundation\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/loomba.map.studio\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/loomba.map.studio\/?page_id=3404#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/loomba.map.studio\/?page_id=3404#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/loomba.map.studiowp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/PROGRESS-1-1024x640.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2023-09-22T06:22:29+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2024-10-29T07:36:07+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/loomba.map.studio\/?page_id=3404#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/loomba.map.studio\/?page_id=3404\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/loomba.map.studio\/?page_id=3404#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/loomba.map.studiowp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/PROGRESS-1-1024x640.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/loomba.map.studiowp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/PROGRESS-1-1024x640.jpg\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/loomba.map.studio\/?page_id=3404#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/loomba.map.studio\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Progress\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/loomba.map.studio\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/loomba.map.studio\/\",\"name\":\"The Loomba Foundation\",\"description\":\"\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/loomba.map.studio\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/loomba.map.studio\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/loomba.map.studio\/#organization\",\"name\":\"The Loomba Foundation\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/loomba.map.studio\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/loomba.map.studio\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/loomba.map.studio\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Logo-Loomba-Foundation.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/loomba.map.studio\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Logo-Loomba-Foundation.jpg\",\"width\":2362,\"height\":1465,\"caption\":\"The Loomba Foundation\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/loomba.map.studio\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/people\/Loomba-Foundation\",\"https:\/\/x.com\/TheLoomba_Org\",\"https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/the-loombafoundation\/\"]}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Progress - The Loomba Foundation","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/loomba.map.studio\/?page_id=3404","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Progress - The Loomba Foundation","og_description":"Home Our Work Advocacy International Widows Day Progress Message to Member States In January 2011, just a few weeks after the UN General Assembly unanimously designated 23 June as the annual International Widows Day, Raj Loomba took up his seat in the House of Lords and vowed to use that parliamentary platform in the United [&hellip;]","og_url":"https:\/\/loomba.map.studio\/?page_id=3404","og_site_name":"The Loomba Foundation","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/people\/Loomba-Foundation","article_modified_time":"2024-10-29T07:36:07+00:00","og_image":[{"url":"https:\/\/loomba.map.studiowp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/PROGRESS-1-1024x640.jpg","type":"","width":"","height":""}],"twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_site":"@TheLoomba_Org","twitter_misc":{"Est. reading time":"9 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/loomba.map.studio\/?page_id=3404","url":"https:\/\/loomba.map.studio\/?page_id=3404","name":"Progress - The Loomba Foundation","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/loomba.map.studio\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/loomba.map.studio\/?page_id=3404#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/loomba.map.studio\/?page_id=3404#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/loomba.map.studiowp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/PROGRESS-1-1024x640.jpg","datePublished":"2023-09-22T06:22:29+00:00","dateModified":"2024-10-29T07:36:07+00:00","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/loomba.map.studio\/?page_id=3404#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/loomba.map.studio\/?page_id=3404"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/loomba.map.studio\/?page_id=3404#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/loomba.map.studiowp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/PROGRESS-1-1024x640.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/loomba.map.studiowp-content\/uploads\/2023\/09\/PROGRESS-1-1024x640.jpg"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/loomba.map.studio\/?page_id=3404#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/loomba.map.studio\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Progress"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/loomba.map.studio\/#website","url":"https:\/\/loomba.map.studio\/","name":"The Loomba Foundation","description":"","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/loomba.map.studio\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/loomba.map.studio\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/loomba.map.studio\/#organization","name":"The Loomba Foundation","url":"https:\/\/loomba.map.studio\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/loomba.map.studio\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/loomba.map.studio\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Logo-Loomba-Foundation.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/loomba.map.studio\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Logo-Loomba-Foundation.jpg","width":2362,"height":1465,"caption":"The Loomba Foundation"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/loomba.map.studio\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/people\/Loomba-Foundation","https:\/\/x.com\/TheLoomba_Org","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/the-loombafoundation\/"]}]}},"rttpg_featured_image_url":null,"rttpg_author":{"display_name":"admin","author_link":"https:\/\/loomba.map.studio\/?author=1"},"rttpg_comment":0,"rttpg_category":null,"rttpg_excerpt":"Home Our Work Advocacy International Widows Day Progress Message to Member States In January 2011, just a few weeks after the UN General Assembly unanimously designated 23 June as the annual International Widows Day, Raj Loomba took up his seat in the House of Lords and vowed to use that parliamentary platform in the United&hellip;","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/loomba.map.studio\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3404","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/loomba.map.studio\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/loomba.map.studio\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loomba.map.studio\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/loomba.map.studio\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=3404"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/loomba.map.studio\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/3404\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/loomba.map.studio\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3404"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}