With an aim to instil confidence in widows and integrate them in to the mainstream, an event will be held where 10,000 widows will come together.
On the occasion of World Widows Day, Bala Vikasa, an NGO is organising the programme at LB Stadium on June 23. The platform will also be used by the widows to share their experiences and voice their concerns, according to Bala Vikasa executive director S. Shoury Reddy.
He was speaking at a press conference held on Tuesday to announce the details of the event.
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Social stigma
Mr. Reddy said that the social stigma, superstitions, discrimination, financial and psychological problems surrounding widows were still rampant. The organisation has found that due to the issues, 29% of the young widows are contemplating suicide.
“Bala Vikasa initiated efforts to empower 15,000 widows through its programme in villages across the two Telugu States. Considerable changes took place where widows became more self confident and dignified and also society started to accept the widows as equal citizens. The impact of this 10-year effort made Bala Vikasa to think big and do big to change the lives of millions of widows in the country,” said Mr. Reddy.
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He said that the social evil in the form of discrimination against widows still exist in society.