WIDOWS IN VRINDAVAN

Untold Stories of WIDOWS IN VRINDAVAN through the Eyes of UHRF-CSR

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Untold Stories of Widows in Vrindavan through the Eyes of UHRF-CSR

Untold Stories of Widows in Vrindavan through the Eyes of UHRF‐CSR Vrindavan, a small town situated in the Mathura district of U ar Pradesh, the abode of Lord Krishna, has become the host to widows from all over India.

The bulk of widows, now sheltering in ashrams here, are from Bengal, Orissa, Bihar and other states of the country. Shunned from society when their husbands die not for religious reasons, but because of tradi on – and because they're seen as a financial drain on their families – they pass their days in u er poverty and want, begging in the streets or squa ng or lying on the stairs outside the temples.

O en clad in rags, they are also seen squa ng in dirty lanes, their life being reduced to begging for scraps of food. When they breathe their last, there's nobody even to take care of their crema on.

Untold Stories of Widows in Vrindavan through the Eyes of UHRF-CSR

Marital Status 78% of them are widows. However, about 50% of them have families in their places of origin. In cases where women have sons they le

their homes as they couldn't get along with their

daughters‐in‐law or because their sons didn't take care of them. In cases where women have only daughters they have no op on but look a er themselves as tradi onally daughters go to the in‐ laws house a er marriage.

17% of women are married. In most cases the married women live in Vrindavan but in almost all the cases their husband is either ill, disabled or unable to earn a living. In some cases the husbands of the women got re‐married and so the wife decided to live in Vrindavan.

5% of women living here are unmarried and in many ways the most marginalized as even government lacks specific schemes for their support.

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Untold Stories of Widows in Vrindavan through the Eyes of UHRF-CSR

Age Group 25% women belong to 60‐70years age group, 16% to the 61‐65years age group, while 18% women belong to the 56‐60years age group. In total, 59% of women belong to the senior ci zen age‐group.

Educa on & Skills About 89% women are illiterate. However, most of them worked at one point to another as agricultural labourer, house maids and care taker of kids. Around 5% women are class one to fi h passed, 3% sixth to seventh passed, 2% passed class ninth to tenth and just 1% passed B.A. /B.Sc. Due to illiteracy most women find it hard to get a work, hence they earn money or alms through prayers, bhajans, begging, and more.

Untold Stories of Widows in Vrindavan through the Eyes of UHRF-CSR

Depriva on As widows, women suffer some of the most severe subjuga on of their whole lives. Widowed women are harassed, abused and denied land and livelihood.

The widows have to face many kinds of depriva on: economic, social, cultural and emo onal. Of all the depriva ons, the economic deriva on is the most harmful.

The research that has been done shows that household headed by widows suffer drama c decline in per capita income and that the mortality risk of widowhood was higher for women than men. Among basic causes of their vulnerability are restric ons on the residence, inheritance, remarriage and employment opportuni es of widows. The situa on of widows in North India is worsened by the system of Patrilocal residence, whereby widows cannot return to their parents' home even though they are o en rejected by their in‐laws.

There are very limited opportuni es for widows living in households without an adult male to engage in income‐ earning ac vi es. Cri cized for being dependent, widows are severely restricted by cultural norms in the kind of self‐ employment they can undertake to reduce that dependency.

An analysis of their problems reveals the following major areas of need namely: 

Economic depriva on and insecurity.

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Restricted mobility due to ill‐health.

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Reduc on in dignity and self‐esteem.

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Loneliness due to rejec on.

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Lack of meaningful occupa on and leisure ac vi es.

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Lack of protec ve suppor ve shelter.

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Untold Stories of Widows in Vrindavan through the Eyes of UHRF-CSR

UHRF‐CSR is Focused on Improving the Lives of Widows in Vrindavan 

We will provide skill training programs for young widows to make them independent.

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We will talk with trustees of bhajan ashrams, who have huge wealth and clout, to run schools/ support educa on of widows' children & facilitate health care.

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We rehabilitate all widows living on streets & at the ghats. Provide night shelters.

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We ensure special health care facili es in Vrindavan and Brajdham for widows and des tute women. UHRF‐CSR also ensures that they should not be turned away from hospitals & medical centres.

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We are working for the establishment of more rehabilita on homes in Vrindavan & West Bengal with food, medical care and other facili es.

We will provide Informa on transparency on accessibility of

widow's pension.

UHRF�CSR is determined to reform the lives of Widows in Vrindavan through real� me implementa ons of policies and programs!

Come and Become a Part of this Social Reform!!!

Y-14A, Green Park Main, New Delhi-110016, INDIA Tel: +91-11-26566158 | Email: info@uhrf-csr.org Web: www.uhrf-csr.org Toll Free No.: 1800 3000 6588 Supported By

Global Wellness Foundation