Sumeruh

Youth are called the assets for the present and future due to their dynamism, age factor, fresh ideas and innovation. Youth have always an important role to play for the development of the nation indicating and working on the different relevant issues.
There is one of the important issues which need the attention from all the sectors and youth needs to be catalyst to initiate on this endeavor because of all the features they possess. The issue of widowhood is almost bypassed by the youths for they think it is the trend or the fact everyone is designated to especially women.
I wonder whether this active group of people is really sensitized towards the issue of widowhood as this was same with me too unless I got an opportunity to see and feel the movie “Water” by Deepa Mehta and the documentary “Born Again” by Women for Human Rights single women group (WHR) and finally with the affiliation with WHR.
Issues of single women (widows) can be more seen as the result of ill cultural practices and deep rooted stagnant traditionalism. This results in bias, prejudice and discrimination with the prominent human right violation against the single women (widows). Just citing a very common example, let us think is there any restrictions to unmarried woman for the choice of color of her dress, the food she desires to eat? The answer is just simple as “No”. It is more liberal in case of man as he doesn’t need to face discrimination before his marriage, after he becomes a widower in his outfit and also regarding his dietary schedule. I think now it’s more likely to be questioned why is woman denied the choice of color and the diet she is designated to?
Death is inevitable though the reasons may vary from one to another. It is the fact that no child would prefer to see their mother dressed up in plain white dresses, restricted for proper food, blamed for the cause of the death of their father, is observed as bearer for ill luck in the society, ostracized in any rituals and ceremonies even in the marriage ceremony of their own child whom she has devoted her selfless love and nurture. The agony of losing father/husband is immense but it doesn’t mean that the rest of the living years which the woman has to live are nothing but the shallow pond of harsh marginalization and violation in even her every petty and minor activities.
These things just makes me furious and opt for the tearing and scattering of the old ill orthodox practices and the deep rooted perception into pieces ending it once and all which requires the positive changes in the perception and attitude. Though the international interventions like CEDAW mentions regarding the ending of discrimination on the basis of marital status, no wonder these article and their intervention and practice at local level is still a big question taunting heads of every individual having concern with the issues related to widowhood. Yet, there are no concrete plans and policies specific towards single women in national, regional as well as an international level.
It can be stated in a whole that the discrimination of the single women range from community to international level from cultural, social as well as political arena.
We have seen youths actively participating in political issues, consumer rights and many other things but it is felt that this dynamic population is yet to be sensitized in this issue so that they may be the change agents solve the issues . The involvement of youths in this regard will be great help for preventing their near and dear ones and self to be subjected in marginalization. The change must be initiated from within and the family itself.
This is one youth’s views being shared with other youths to support this humanitarian act and set the positive example for oneself and the generations to come.