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The Shocking Indignities Widows Face

In Ghana, a widow must have sex with a stranger to “purify” herself after her husband’s deaths. In Nepal, widows are believed to be witches. Shannon Donnelly talks to Cherie Blair on the new movement for international widows’ rights.

Published Jun. 26 2010 9:21AM EDT

galleries/2010/06/26/the-shocking-indignities-widows-face/donnelly-widows-3_codpvb

galleries/2010/06/26/the-shocking-indignities-widows-face/donnelly-widows-3_ghxcbn — Widows in Kigali in Rwanda.

galleries/2010/06/26/the-shocking-indignities-widows-face/donnelly-widows-1_zbc93x — Staff from the community-based project in South Africa.

galleries/2010/06/26/the-shocking-indignities-widows-face/donnelly-widows-4_xwp6ls — An entrepreneurial widow outside Nairobi.

galleries/2010/06/26/the-shocking-indignities-widows-face/donnelly-widows-2_agufcs — Ravinder Kaur in her hair salon which was opened with the help of Loomba Foundation.

galleries/2010/06/26/the-shocking-indignities-widows-face/donnelly-widows-6_bspeyo — A widow with a child in the slums outside Nairobi.

galleries/2010/06/26/the-shocking-indignities-widows-face/donnelly-widows-7_ptgayu — A widow selling utensils in the slum area outside Nairobi.

galleries/2010/06/26/the-shocking-indignities-widows-face/donnelly-widows-8_kptrxk — Widow with her son outside his school in India. His education is being funded by the Loomba Foundation.
Suzanne Liem

galleries/2010/06/26/the-shocking-indignities-widows-face/donnelly-widows-10_fadj0q — Widow with her daughter whose education in India is funded by the Loomba Foundation.
Suzanne Liem

galleries/2010/06/26/the-shocking-indignities-widows-face/donnelly-widows-11_zcj04r — Widow and her son in Punjab, India; she is a beneficiary of the Loomba Foundation.
Suzanne Liem

galleries/2010/06/26/the-shocking-indignities-widows-face/donnelly-widows-9_ziwedl — Widow with her daughter in Punjab, India.
Suzanne Liem

galleries/2010/06/26/the-shocking-indignities-widows-face/donnelly-widows-12_apnlzv — Widow in Punjab, India with her two sons.
Suzanne Liem

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