Responding to rising civil society voices, the Goa government had in March 2023 promised to introduce a related bill. Over two years later, the promise remains unfulfilled
In March 2023, the Goa government, responding to rising civil society voices, promised to introduce a bill to eliminate discriminatory widowhood practices in the next assembly session. Over two years later, the promise remains unfulfilled. As the Goa Legislative Assembly reconvenes on July 21, 2025, for its 10th session, the demand to table the Widowhood Practices Abolition and Protection Against Discrimination Bill is no longer just a legal necessity – it is a moral imperative. This concerns half the population!
In June 2024, the Women and Child Development Department tasked the Goa State Commission for Women with drafting a policy for widowhood practices in Goa. A three-member committee comprising Commission member Adv Siddhi Parodkar, sub-committee member Adv Sonia Dabolkar alias Kurtikar and Goa University Associate Professor Dr Alkananda Shingare was formed. The draft was reportedly submitted to the department, which forwarded it to the minister’s office. Since then, there is no clarity on its progress and no related information in public domain.
Coincidentally, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) issued an advisory to all states in the same month i.e. June 2024, calling for concrete action against widowhood-based discrimination. Importantly, the NHRC reframed the issue – not as a welfare concern, but as a violation of fundamental human rights. It urged states, including Goa, to submit action taken reports within two months. One year later, it is unclear if Goa has responded.
This official inaction reflects a deeper contradiction in a country that celebrates being tech-driven and forward-looking, yet still clings to age-old, regressive practices in the name of tradition. Widowed women in India continue to live as second-class citizens, subjected to social and cultural stigma that denies them dignity and fundamental rights.
They are frequently stripped of property and inheritance, excluded from religious and family functions, and blamed for their husband’s death. Many are pushed into poverty and isolation, with little access to mental health care or opportunities for economic independence. The challenges of widowhood are compounded further when the woman is a person with disability, making her even more vulnerable to neglect, abuse and systemic exclusion.
This isn’t just social injustice – it’s constitutional betrayal. Article 14 guarantees equality before the law; Article 21 assures the right to live with dignity. For millions of widowed women, these guarantees remain on paper. Despite some existing schemes and fragmented benefits, there is no comprehensive national or state law that addresses the systemic discrimination widowed women face. Goa now has an opportunity to lead by drafting a robust, inclusive law that sets a national benchmark.
To be effective, this law must be shaped through a participatory and democratic process. Widowhood practices vary across caste, religion, region and community. A top-down, uniform law will not suffice. Inputs from grassroots communities, local leaders, affected women and civil society must be incorporated to ensure relevance and enforceability.
In March 2023, civil society groups submitted comprehensive recommendations for the draft law to the Goa government. These should guide the current drafting process. The law must explicitly ban all discriminatory widowhood practices, including enforced dress codes, dietary restrictions and social exclusion. It must include strong penal provisions against violence, harassment and exploitation.
The law should guarantee automatic entitlements – pensions, housing, education, legal aid and employment –without bureaucratic red tape. Special reservations in jobs and political representation can empower widows socially and economically. A sustained public awareness campaign is also essential to challenge harmful societal perceptions of widowhood and must be specified in the law. Widowed women must be explicitly included in all state-level women-centric policies, and a dedicated monitoring mechanism or commission must oversee the law’s implementation.
It is equally important for the committee to study The Protection of Rights of Widows and Single Women and Abolishment of Widowhood Practices Bill, 2022, introduced by MP Supriya Sule in Parliament. Though not enacted, it presents a strong and relevant framework that can significantly strengthen Goa’s legislation.
Understanding the power of the law is crucial. Often, oppressive widowhood practices are upheld not from malice but due to social pressure and fear of tradition. A clear, enforceable law allows women and families to say “no” – and gives them the backing of the state. Like legal reforms that abolished sati and untouchability, a widow protection law can catalyse real social change. But this requires political will, legal clarity and public support.
As the assembly’s monsoon session nears, it is time to deliver on the promise. Goans – especially women – no longer seek charity; they demand justice. The government must table the draft bill, open it to public consultation and move swiftly towards enacting a comprehensive and inclusive law.
Let Goa seize this opportunity and become the first Indian state to legally and structurally dismantle widowhood discrimination. Goa has the institutions, legal legacy and public consciousness to make this happen. The time for delay is over. The time for dignity, justice and reform is now. Because this is not just about widows – it’s about half the population!
(Sangeeta Naik is an IT professional based in Goa.)
