Team Herald
PANJIM: Several women’s organisations have made a representation to the Minister for Women and Child Development and the Secretary to have a participatory process to formulate the Widow Practices Bill.
The Bailancho Saad, Why Exclude, Saad Aangan, Saad Alashiro, Bailancho Ekvott, Human Rights Law Network, The Muslim Women’s Association, suggested a process similar to that followed to draft Goa Children’s Act.
Workshops were held at taluka-level, district level, children’s meeting by the Department officials in conjunction with civil society. All the inputs were then collated into the draft of the law, and rules, where the civil society was involved, after which the Law Department finalised it.
The decision to collectively work together to stop unjust widow practices was taken at a meeting of organisations and individuals coordinated by the Bailancho Saad. It was decided to collect data on unjust widow practices, create awareness and write to the authorities for an inclusive process to draft the Bill and pass in the ensuing Legislative Assembly session.
Social awareness and the law to aid would definitely help in stopping unjust practices which lowers the dignity of woman and promotes daughter unwantedness. Goa has a precarious sex ratio where number of girls to boys is very low which is worrisome. Urgent steps need to be taken to promote respect and dignity of girls and women, said Sabina Martins of Bailancho Saad.
It may be recalled that during the last Assembly session, Women and Child Development Minister Vishwajit Rane had stated that the government will enact a comprehensive legislation to prevent widow discrimination in the State, in the next Assembly session.
Rane gave the assurance while replying to a resolution tabled by Leader of the Opposition Yuri Alemao, who had urged the government to stop the unjust customs of widow discrimination, widow abuse and widow isolation in the State.
The Minister had stated that the government will hold deliberations on this issue and enact a law to stop such inhuman practices while, the members had strongly recommended the government to take immediate steps to stop the unjust customs of widow discrimination, widow abuse and widow isolation in the State.
