There are more than 33 million widows in India, comprising about 8 per cent of the total female population of the country. Despite this, little is known about the actual living conditions of widows, about the quiet deprivations they experience on a daily basis. They are rarely mentioned in the literature on poverty, in public debates on social policy or even by the women’s movement. This important volume of original essays and case studies is aimed at bringing about a better understanding of the social and economic conditions of widows, to focus attention on widowhood as a social problem and to promote public action and policies in support of widows in India. The first three papers explore the dominant ideological construction of widowhood in India as well as variations in local customary norms. The next section, on the demographics of widowhood, includes a significant paper by P.N. Mari Bhat which eloquently demonstrates that mortality rates among widows in the 45 plus age group are 85% higher than those for married women in the same age group. The volume then turns to four key areas for public policy and action in support of widows: property rights, social security, employment and social identity. The contributors highlight how customary law and institutionalized gender inequality combine to drastically restrict the human, physical and financial resources available to widows, thus making them economically vulnerable. They also discuss governmental and non-governmental efforts to ‘rehabilitate’ widows. Weaving together analytic essays, hard data and poignant case studies, this comprehensive and pioneering volume on the social and economic status of widows in India will be of interest to those in the fields of gender studies, sociology, demography and social policy, as well as NGOs and policy-makers.
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