Chacko Anthony SJ
Widows are humankind. They have their right to life. They have many other rights: for health, for food and shelter, for clothing and recreation, etc. They need to be treated with respect and cared for with concern.
Do you know? According the UN, there are an estimated 258 million widows around the world, and nearly one in ten lives in extreme poverty.
In our male-dominated society, in a culture where male inheritance is the pattern, widows are treated as 2nd or 3rd class citizens. Some are victimized by people who want to grab their property and possession. Some are dumped in the family corner. Some others are shown the door.
Some end up as beggars or are even forced to rent their body for a pittance. Often we give them the tag ‘prostitute’. In some communities they are even considered or declared witches just to grab their land.
Such social evils are a blot on human society. A conscious attempt is needed to uproot such evil.