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Prologue to a social movement!

Since the year 2011, the United Nations has been observing June 23 as International Widows Day. The day seeks to draw attention to the voices and experiences of widows and to galvanize the unique support that they need. While commemorating this event today, WE, a newly formed movement for widow rights in Goa, is urging the government for action towards achieving full rights and recognition for these 'invisible women' in the State of Goa. Before a law is enacted, the movement seeks support of the civil society to revisit it's stance on these practices and liberate these women from the unwarranted restrictions imposed on them by the society.

Herwad panchayat in Maharashtra"s Kolhapur district marked the beginning of a movement to outlaw regressive widowhood practices. Subsequently the movement started gaining traction in Maharashtra, with other panchayats following suit and the state government directing panchayats across the state to adopt similar resolutions to end the discriminatory practices. Social reformer Pramod Zinjade of Mahatma Phule Samaj Seva Mandal, Solapur is the pioneering force behind the movement. 

Despite all the progress that we have made as a State, Goa is no different when it come to de-humanising widowhood practices, turning widow into social outcasts for the remainder of their lives. Therefore, even as the revolution was starting to spread across Maharashtra, its ripple effects were felt in Goa when the gramsabhas of Dhargal and Korgao panchayats of Pernem taluka became the first to adopt resolution shunning regressive widowhood practices. After which panchayats like Morjim, Shiroda, Dharbandora, Sacorda, Kule - Shigao, etc from across various Talukas did a similar excercise. In Goa, the man behind the first such resolution is Bharat Bagkar, a journalist and social activist. 

During this time, a motley group of women, associated with Evescape -- an umbrella organisation of women representatives of various social and cultural organisations, especially those pursuing the cause of women rights -- applauded the panchayats, in a bid to encourage this reformative move. Sangeeta Naik -- an IT professional and teacher, and Naman Sawant -- an Yuva Sahitya Akademi awardee, had always held the issue close to their hearts. Sangeeta had written the story of the film Savashin which talks about widowhood trauma, about seven years ago -- and both were waiting for the right opportunity to support the cause of widow rights. With the intention of building up a movement, I took upon me the task of connecting and seeking the support of social influencers -- lawyers, journalists, educators, filmmakers, social activists, among others. 

The movement entitled 'WE', comprising of concerned citizens from across the State, is now spearheading the cause of equality, equity, justice, life of dignity & respect to widows. WE's strategy is to keep the debate on the issue alive, encourage and empower more panchayats and municipalities to adopt resolutions, create traction in media, connect with grassroot and community leaders to garner ground support, and most importantly -- to converse with policy makers with a demand for enacting a law to give legal sanctity to the decisions of the panchayats. 

WE, is also formulating action steps to advance the movement as it strongly believes that such practices not only humiliate women and are a threat to their dignity and social security, but also fundamentally violate their human rights and the provisions of equality and dignity of life as enshrined in the Constitution of India.

Before the end of term of panchayats, WE, which had started working with panchayats in all 12 Talukas of Goa, had urged representatives to pass such resolutions at their last council meetings, with a rejoinder that next council may take it up at their gramsabhas. Following this suggestion, several panchayats across Goa including Uguem (Sanguem), Loliem (Canacona), Tivrem-Orgao, Veling-Priol (Ponda), Seraulim, Borim, among others resolved to end inhumane widowhood practices and also vowed to do away with exclusion of widows by resolving to let them live with dignity and ensure that their rights are not violated by anyone in the village.

WE has applauded the panchayats for taking their first revolutionary step towards reformsb y passing resolutions to this effect, and has appealed to the citizens of the State to support the cause. Furthermore, WE is urging the government to pass a legislation to eliminate widowhood/funerary practices to safeguard the dignity of widows and help them live a life free of discrimination -- and thus set a precedent for the country to follow by becoming the first State in India to eradicate discriminatory widowhood practices, and end exclusion of widows.

Further, WE members will be meeting all legislators of the Goa Legislative Assembly with a request to debate on the issue in the monsoon session starting July 11. WE member Prashanti Talpankar, a noted actor & writer, had recently met Union Women & Child Development Minister Smirti Irani, on her visit to Goa and sought her support to legislate a law ending discrimination. 

Simultaneously, with a focus to create awareness and garner ground support, WE is working with various social organisations, Self Help Groups, NGOs, community leaders and other social stakeholders across the state. Most importantly, by making them aware of their basic human rights, WE is appealing to women in general to shun all such regressive and inhuman customs, which they are conditioned to follow in this patriarchal society.

Prominent among those who are part of the WE movement include Prakash Kamat -- Senior Journalist & Member, Goa State Advisory Board on Disability, Sandesh Prabhudesai Senior Journalist & Author, Swati Kerkar -- Social & Political Activist, Divya Naik -- Panch member, Ugem Panchayat, Geraldin Fernandes - Social Activist, Bharat Bagkar, Journalist & Social Activist, Ganpat Kurtikar - Secretary, Goa RTI Forum, Pankti Jog – Executive Secretary for Mahiti Adhikar Gujarat Pahel (MAGP) group, Gaurav Jalmi – Student, Anwesha Singbal – President, Konkani Bhasha Mandal, Ratnmala Divkar – Teacher, Dr. Shalini Yadav - Constitutional expert, Dr. Sumitra Iyengar -- Director -CEO, WEI-CAN Australia (Women Empowerment International - Consulting and Networking Australia), Mini Mathew – Lawyer & women rights advocate, Rajdeep Naik -- Filmmaker & Actor, Afreen Sayed --Social Worker & community leader, Bharti Bandodkar -- Social Activist, among others. 

As WE is growing into a cohesive network of individuals who are committed to changing the society, it anticipates no small amount of misconception, misrepresentation, and ridicule; but has vowed to use every instrumentality within its power to effect the fundamental object. 

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