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<b><u><span style="font-size:14.0pt; line-height:115%; font-family:"Cambria",serif">Global Alliance: The Last Woman First</span></u></b></p>
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<b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:"Times",serif"> </span></b></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">
<span style="font-family:"Cambria",serif">The only alliance of over 100 organizations representing members from over 20 countries working with widows who are</span><span style="font-family:"Cambria",serif; color:#333333; background:white"> absent in statistics,
unnoticed by researchers, neglected by governments; </span><span style="font-family:"Cambria",serif">who affected by disease, poverty and conflict are forced to support households against all economic, social, humanitarian, and cultural odds; who are truly
the most vulnerable and swell the ranks of <b>The Last Woman</b></span><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Cambria",serif"></span></b></p>
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<b><span style="font-family:"Cambria",serif"> </span></b></p>
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<b><span style="font-family:"Cambria",serif"> </span></b></p>
<p style="line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">
<b><u><span style="font-family:"Cambria",serif">Fact Sheet</span></u></b></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 10pt; text-indent: -0.25in; line-height: 115%; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Symbol"><span style="">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:"Cambria",serif">Almost worldwide, widows comprise a significant proportion of all women, ranging from 7 per cent to 16 per cent of all adult women. However, in some countries and regions the proportion
is far higher. </span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:"Cambria",serif; color:#141414">The number of widows has grown by 9 percent since 2010, partly because of conflicts and disease.</span><a href="#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" title="" style="color: rgb(5, 99, 193); text-decoration: underline;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:"Cambria",serif; color:red"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Cambria",serif; color:red">[1]</span></span></span></span></a><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:"Cambria",serif"></span></p>
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<span style="font-family:"Cambria",serif">There are an estimated 258,481,056 widows globally with 584,574,358 children (including adult children). One in seven widows globally is living in extreme poverty. One in three widows worldwide live in India or China</span></li></ul>
<pre style="text-indent: -0.25in; line-height: 115%; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-family:Symbol; color:black"><span style="">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span><span style="font-size:12.0pt; line-height:115%; font-family:"Cambria",serif; color:black">.</span><span style="font-family:"Cambria",serif; color:black"> </span></pre>
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<b><u><span style="font-family:"Cambria",serif">Why Widows Matter</span></u></b></p>
<pre style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Cambria",serif; color:black"> </span></pre>
<pre style="text-indent: -0.25in; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Symbol; color:black"><span style="">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span><span style="font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Cambria",serif; color:black">Many more women than men face the likelihood of being </span></pre>
<pre style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Cambria",serif; color:black">widowed for a significant portion of their lives. </span></pre>
<pre style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Cambria",serif; color:black"> </span></pre>
<pre style="text-indent: -0.25in; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Symbol; color:black"><span style="">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span><span style="font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Cambria",serif; color:black">Many women are widowed when they are young and remain </span></pre>
<pre style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Cambria",serif; color:black">widowed the rest of their lives. </span></pre>
<pre style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Cambria",serif; color:black"> </span></pre>
<pre style="text-indent: -0.25in; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Symbol; color:black"><span style="">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span><span style="font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Cambria",serif; color:black">Many widows cannot depend on support from their in-laws, </span></pre>
<pre style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Cambria",serif; color:black">parents, brothers, or even daughters. </span></pre>
<pre style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Cambria",serif; color:black"> </span></pre>
<pre style="text-indent: -0.25in; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Symbol; color:black"><span style="">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span></span><span style="font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Cambria",serif; color:black">Given that adult sons are traditionally the most reliable source of family support, young widows are economically and socially more vulnerable on an average than older widows. </span></pre>
<pre style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Cambria",serif; color:black"> </span></pre>
<p style="text-indent: -0.25in; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 14pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">
<span style="font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Symbol"><span style="">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><span style="font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Cambria",serif">There is an overlap between incidence of widowhood and aging among women and this has serious social and economic consequences. Large number of elderly and widowed women with not
much access to income forms the future scenario.</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 14pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">
<span style="font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Cambria",serif"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-right:0in; margin-bottom:10.0pt; margin-left:.5in; text-indent:-.25in; line-height:115%">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Symbol; color:black"><span style="">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:"Cambria",serif">Social isolation and avoidance of widows often leads widows to miss training, employment, healthcare, education and other information and opportunities</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:"Cambria",serif; color:black"></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-right:0in; margin-bottom:10.0pt; margin-left:.5in; text-indent:-.25in; line-height:115%">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Symbol; color:black"><span style="">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:"Cambria",serif">Inheritance laws by tradition and custom discriminate against widows</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:"Cambria",serif; color:black"></span></p>
<p class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-right:0in; margin-bottom:10.0pt; margin-left:.5in; text-indent:-.25in; line-height:115%">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Symbol"><span style="">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:"Cambria",serif">Widowhood is a very significant a cause for inter- generational poverty, because gender bias against women in patriarchal societies places female-headed households at a greater risk
of poverty.</span></p>
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<b><u><span style="font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Cambria",serif"><span style="text-decoration:none"> </span></span></u></b></p>
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<b><span style="font-family:"Cambria",serif; color:#333333; background:white">One of the main reasons for the continuing cycle of poverty and deprivation in so many countries is the plight of widows. So it’s crucial that we acknowledge the particular problem
of these women who make up such a large number of female-headed households across the world.</span></b><b><span style="font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Cambria",serif; color:#333333; background:white"></span></b></p>
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<span style="font-family:"Cambria",serif; color:#333333; background:white"> </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">
<span style="font-family:"Cambria",serif">.<b><u>The Global Alliance of the Last Woman First:</u></b></span></p>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Wingdings"><span style="">§<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:"Cambria",serif">A platform for sharing best practices so that they can be replicated for the benefit of the stakeholders.</span></p>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Wingdings"><span style="">§<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:"Cambria",serif">A strong lobbying network for the strength of advocacy.’</span></p>
<p style="text-indent: -0.25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Wingdings"><span style="">§<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:"Cambria",serif">Expand the outreach of advocacy with the United Nations and global forums</span></p>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Wingdings"><span style="">§<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:"Cambria",serif">Expand the impact of the organisations by documenting and disseminating information on effective policies and programs</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">
<span style="font-family:"Cambria",serif"> </span></p>
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<span style="font-family:"Cambria",serif; color:black">In 2017 the alliance was able to submit the communication: Widowhood: A systematic Violation of Human Rights and an Economic and Social Humanitarian Crisis to the 61<sup>st</sup>session of the Commission
on the Status of Women. In 2018 the Alliance was invited by UN Women to partner with them on the event: Leaving No One Behind for Planet 50/50 by 2030: every rural woman and girl everywhere at the 62nd CSW in New York in March 2018. In 2019 the Alliance endorsed
written statement made to the CSW 63</span></p>
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<span style="font-family:"Cambria",serif; color:black">This relentless advocacy is to ensure that widows are no longer invisible and absent from all global instruments as they are absent from the Beijing Platform for Action and the CEDAW.</span></p>
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<span style="font-family:"Cambria",serif"> </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">
<b><span style="font-family:"Cambria",serif">The Alliance members work to</span></b></p>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Symbol"><span style="">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:"Cambria",serif; color:#333333; background:white">Alleviate economic deprivation that confronts widows</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:"Cambria",serif"></span></p>
<p style="text-indent: -0.25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Symbol"><span style="">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:"Cambria",serif; color:#333333; background:white">Erase the social stigmatization of widowhood</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:"Cambria",serif"></span></p>
<p style="text-indent: -0.25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Symbol"><span style="">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:"Cambria",serif; color:#333333; background:white">Eliminate their high risk of sexual abuse and exploitation</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:"Cambria",serif"></span></p>
<p style="text-indent: -0.25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-left: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Symbol"><span style="">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:"Cambria",serif; color:#333333; background:white">Remove the barriers to resources and economic opportunities that constrain their future,</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:"Cambria",serif"></span></p>
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<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:Symbol"><span style="">·<span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"">
</span></span></span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:"Cambria",serif; color:#333333; background:white">Advance widows' equal rights to inheritance, property, land and other assets.</span><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family:"Cambria",serif"></span></p>
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<span style="font-family:"Cambria",serif"> </span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">
<span style="font-family:"Cambria",serif">We invite you to join the global alliance to become a strong voice for the millions of
<b>last women. It is a free membership.</b></span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">
<b><span style="font-family:"Cambria",serif"> </span></b></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">
<b><span style="font-family:"Cambria",serif">Do send us a mail at </span></b><a href="mailto:lastwomanfirst@gmail.com" style="color: rgb(5, 99, 193); text-decoration: underline;"><b><span style="font-family:"Cambria",serif">lastwomanfirst@gmail.com</span></b></a><b><span style="font-family:"Cambria",serif"></span></b></p>
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<b><span style="font-family:"Cambria",serif"> </span></b></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">
<span style="font-family:"Cambria",serif">We will send you the format for application for The Global Alliance of THE LAST WOMAN FIRST.</span></p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">
<span style="font-family:"Cambria",serif"> </span></p>
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<span style="font-family:"Cambria",serif">__________________________________________________</span></p>
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<a href="#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" title="" style="color: rgb(5, 99, 193); text-decoration: underline;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size:9.0pt; font-family:"Cambria",serif; color:black"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size:9.0pt; font-family:"Cambria",serif; color:black">[1]</span></span></span></span></a><span style="font-size:9.0pt; color:black">
Loomba Foundation: World Widows Report </span></p>
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