Today is International Widows’ Day. First observed on 23 June 2011, the General Assembly-mandated Day aims to give special recognition to the situation of widows throughout the world, and provided an opportunity for action towards achieving full rights and recognition for them. In his message, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said the Day should be used to advocate for the rights of all widows “so they can enjoy better lives and realize their great potential to contribute to our world.”
Afghanistan has one of the highest numbers of widows (proportionate to the total population) in the world. Some estimates put the number at over 1.5 million out of the country's 30 million people.