Advocacy and Policy Inputs
The Guild works to influence policies and strengthen advocacy frameworks that protect the rights and dignity of widows and marginalized women. Our policy engagement is grounded in research, field experience, and extensive collaboration with national and international networks. Through these partnerships, the Guild contributes informed perspectives to discussions on gender justice, legal rights, and social protection across South Asia.
Every Woman Treaty (EWT)
The Guild supports the global efforts of the Every Woman Treaty (EWT), which advocates for the development of an Optional Protocol to enhance international accountability on violence against women. By aligning with this global movement, the Guild contributes to strengthening legal obligations, expanding global protections, and ensuring that violence against women is approached as a critical human rights issue.
South Asian Network for Widows Empowered in Development (SANWED)
As an active member of SANWED (South Asian Network for Widows Empowered in Development), the Guild engages in regional advocacy to advance widowhood rights across South Asia. Key areas of contribution include: Finalizing the SANWED NGO directory to promote cross-country collaboration.
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Leading discussions through presentations and research updates on legal challenges, abandonment, and social exclusion faced by widows.
Supporting future initiatives such as replicating India’s widowhood study across South Asia
NHRC (National Human Rights Commission)
The Guild worked in close collaboration with the NHRC (National Human Rights Commission) to highlight critical issues related to widowhood and women’s rights. The NHRC-supported study on abandoned widows across five Indian states was concluded in 2024. Through this partnership, the Guild strengthens national efforts toward rights-based protections and systemic reforms.
International Widows’ Day (IWD)
The Guild actively participates in the observance of International Widows’ Day (IWD) as part of its regional and global advocacy. Through webinars, policy dialogues, and collaborative sessions with SANWED and other partners, the Guild helps amplify the concerns of widows, highlight gaps in legal and social protections, and promote collective action toward justice and recognition for widowed women across South Asia.
Mohini Giri Scholarship
Instituting a scholarship for underprivileged girls pursuing law in memory of Dr. Mohini Giri.
Establishing a Gender Studies Resource Centre to support gender-focused research.
“Policy advocacy is meaningful when it turns silence into visibility and resolve into change.”