Dr. Charu WaliKhanna, Member, was Guest of Honour at the programme celebrated to observe “International Day of Widows” organised by Guild of Services, War Widows Association & UN Information Centre for India and Bhutan, at UN Conference Hall, UN, Lodhi Road, New Delhi on 21 June 2013. 

The programme was inaugurated by customary breaking of stereotypes and traditional discriminating practices by applying bindi on a widow’s forehead and presenting her a red shawl and coloured sari. Dr. Syeda Hameed, Member, Planning Commission delivering the inaugural address quoted from the chapter of Women’s Agency and Child Rights of the Five Year Plan, she said the pension scheme for widows and the need to index it according to inflation was specifically mentioned in it. “These issues have been understood and recognized by the highest level of decision and policy makers. But civil society should unrelentingly push for full implementation of the Plan” she added. 

Member Dr. Charu WaliKhanna congratulated the organizers for highlighting the condition of widows on this momentous day, specially since in conservative societies widows are considered a taboo and subject to prejudice and discrimination and the worst form of violence including sexual exploitation. She said that there is no group more affected by the sin of omission than widows, as they rarely find mention in the numerous reports on women’s poverty, health, development or rights etc. She narrated the heinous incidents of Hoshangabad, Madhya Pradesh wherein a widow was labelled for practicing black magic, under the guise of superstition with the devious intention to grab her property; and stressed the need to make criminal jurisprudence in the country gender oriented. 

She said that there is a myth that widowhood is experienced only by elderly women. While in fact it also affects younger women, many of whom are still rearing children. The second myth that prevails is that a woman in India gets the support of her extended family; whereas in reality it is the absolute contrary. A widow confronts patriarchal customary and religious discrimination, including abuse and exploitation at the hands of family members in order to deprive her of her property / inheritance. 

Other speakers included Dr. Mohini Giri, Chairperson, Guild of Services, Ms. Kiran Mehra-Kerpelman, Director, UN Information Centre for India & Bhutan, Ms. Anju Pandey, Programme Officer, UN Women, Mr. Mathew Cherian, Chief Executive, HelpAge India.

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