Evescape

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 t

Despite several existing legislations, international and national human rights instruments, the Indian Penal Code (IPC), The Goa Civil Code and continued efforts to address gender inequality, and atrocities  against women -- women still encounter discriminatory practices in varied forms. In particular, to note here are cultural or customary practices such as widowhood or funerary practices, which is nowhere enjoined by any of the religions as an imperative duty - have continued to perpetuate the subordinate position of women despite all the progress that we have made as a State. Exclusion of widows is a stark reality that a few of our political leaders and sections of society are sadly in denial. Moreover, widowhood practices are a violation of women’s rights to dignity and non-discrimination guaranteed in the Constitution of India (refer Art 14, Art 21). Years after sati was abolished and years after The Commission of Sati (prevention) Act, 1987, Act no 3 of 1988 to provide for more e

Currently engaged, alongwith a host of social influencers, policy and law experts, in drafting a resolution and creating a forum to draft a policy document to demand a law to end discrimination against widows, my task include talking to various agencies, stakeholders, constitutional experts and social  reformers to understand the nity gritty of the proposed law, the complexity of the issue at hand, and the way forward.  Among the many that I am in conversation with on the subject is none other than the social reformer from Solapur himself -- Pramod Zinjade whose small initiative in Kolhapur"s Herwad village has scripted a movement in Maharashtra, and its ripple effect felt in Goa too -- with more than four panchayats in Goa already adopting resolutions to end discriminatory widowhood practices and ensure dignity of life, equal rights and inclusiveness to the widow. The Herwad village which passed the resolution on May 4 to become India's first village to adopt such a resoluti