INDIA WIDOWS SHUNNED BY SOCIETY, PART 2 : SARAH

INDIA WIDOW'S FLEE TO THE HOLY CITY OF VINDRAVAN CITY BECAUSE THEY HAVE NO PLACE TO GO.  MOST FLEE THEIR HOMES BECAUSE THEIR AFRAID OF BEING SEXUALLY ABUSED OR PHYSICALLY ABUSED BY OTHER MEN. WIDOW'S OF INDIA ARE VIEWED AS PROPERTY TO THEIR HUSBANDS.  WHEN THEIR HUSBANDS DIE THEY HAVE NO VALUE. 

AGE DOES NOT MATTER TO THE STATUS OF THE WIDOW.  IN MY RESEARCH I FOUND A GIRL THAT WAS MARRIED AT AGE 8.  HER HUSBAND WAS 33. SHE BECAME A WIDOW AT AGE 23.  SINCE AGE 23 SHE HAS BEEN AT THE CITY OF VINDRAVAN.  SHE WAS EVICTED FROM HER HOME BECAUSE WIDOW'S DO NOT HAVE PROPERTY RIGHTS.  JUST IMAGINE AT THE AGE OF 23 HAVING NOTHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO.

THE INDIA SOCIETY IS VERY CRUEL TO THE WIDOW'S OF THEIR COUNTRY.  IT IS LIKE THEY DO NOT EXIST.  THE GOVERNMENT LOOKS AT MERE PRESENCE OF A WIDOW AS BAD LUCK.  WIDOW'S ARE FORCED TO HAVE THEIR HEADS SHAVED.  ALL THEIR JEWERLY IS TAKEN AWAY FROM THEM AND THEY MUST WEAR WHITE GARMENTS. 

IT IS ESTIMATED THAT 40 MILLION WIDOWS ARE IN INDIA.  IT HAS THE LARGEST NUMBER OF WIDOWS IN THE WORLD.  54% OF THE WOMEN OVER 60 ARE WIDOWS IN INDIA.  12% OF THE WOMEN BETWEEN THE AGES OF 35-39 ARE ALSO WIDOWS. 

THERE IS SOME HOPE FOR WIDOWS OF INDIA.  MOHINI GIRI A WIDOW OF INDIA.  SHE WAS ABLE TO ORGANIZE WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS TO CREATE A PLACE IN VINDRAVAN THAT EMPOWERED WIDOWS.

SHE CREATED A PLACE CALLED "AMAR BARI".  AMAR BARI IS A PLACE THAT OFFERS VOCATIONAL TRAINING TO THE WIDOWS. GIRI, GOAL FOR THE WIDOWS IS TO REHABILITATE EACH AND EVERY WIDOW. 

AMAR BARI WANTS TO TEACH THE WIDOWS SOCIAL SKILLS AND LEARNING SKILLS.  THEY HOPE TO MOTIVATE THE WOMEN TO GAIN ECONOMIC INDEPENCE AND CONFIDENCE. THE WIDOWS PERFORM JOBS SKILLS FOR WHICH THEY RECIEVE INCOME.  SOME OF THE JOBS INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING: WEAVING, SPINNING,  AND NURSES.

THE WIDOW'S PRODUCE GOODS SUCH S QUILTED JACKETS, BEAD WORK, LEATHER POUCHES, AND CLOTH BAGS.  SOME OF THE WIDOWS WORK AS NURSES TAKING CARE OF PATIENTS AT THE AMAR BARI.

THE TOUGHEST BARRIER FOR WIDOWS TO CROSS IS THIER OWN CULTURE AND WHAT THEIR SOCIETY SAYS THEY MUST DO.  IN INDIA WOMEN AND WIDOWS DO HAVE CERTAIN RIGHTS.  THEY HAVE CUSTOMARY AND STATUTORY LAWS THAT PROTECT THEM.  THE WOMEN OF INDIA DO NOT FEEL A SENSE OF EMPOWERMENT.  THEY DON'T FEEL LIKE THEY CAN FIGHT FOR THEIR RIGHTS. 

PLACES LIKE AMAR BARI ARE TRYING TO CHANGE THE MIND SET OF THESE WOMEN.  OTHER ORGANIZATIONS ARE HELPING TOO.  GUILD SERVICES AND THE NATIONAL COMMISSION FOR WOMEN ARE HELPING TOO.  I AM THERE ARE OTHERS TO.

WE NEED TO RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT THIS ISSUE.  WE NEED TO GET OTHER WOMEN'S RIGHT'S GROUPS INVOLVED.  WE MUST ALSO ASK OUR PRESIDENTAL CANDIDATES ABOUT THEIR POSITION ON THIS ISSUE. 

PLEASE RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT THIS ISSUE.  THESE WOMEN DESERVE RESPECT AND DIGNITY. 

SARAH