Goa set to become first state in the country to have law against widow discrimination

WE(Why Exclude) extends sincere gratitude to the august House

Goa Khabar:Goa Woman & Child Development  Minister Vishwajeet Rane’s assurance on the floor of the house, that the government will bring a comprehensive law to prevent any kind of widow discrimination in the State of Goa, that too in the monsoon session of the assembly, scheduled sometime in July –August 2023, is a shot in the arms for the WE(Why Exclude) movement.

Goa will be the first State in the country to enact such a law setting an example for other States to emulate.

In an unusual display of unanimity, the ruling as well as the Opposition benches, cutting across party lines, rallied behind the private member resolution against widow discrimination placed before the assembly on Friday.

We at WE(Why Exclude) express our sincere gratitude to the august house for strengthening our faith in the democratic processes.

Leader of Opposition(LoP) Yuri Alemao put forth the resolution for consideration of the assembly. Alemao has been consistently following up the issue for past several months and making sincere efforts to understand various dimensions and gravity of the issue. WE appreciates his sincere efforts and his resolve to stand up for the cause of women, despite various hurdles.

It is pertinent to note that  Minister Rane has not only said that the law against widow discrimination will be made, but has also given a timeline of 4 to 5 months for doing it. He has assured the house that the law will be formulated in consultation with leader of opposition, other MLAs, team of legal experts and other stakeholders and tabled in the monsoon session.

We wholeheartedly welcome this decision and look forward to a streamlined process aimed at achieving this objective.

Rane said that he has already shared sentiments of all the legislators with Joint Secretary, Govt of India that all 40 MLAs are unanimously against widow discrimination. We are very much appreciative of this proactive initiative by the Minister.

RG MLA Viresh Borkar, AAP MLA Venzy Viegas, Congress MLA Alton Dias, Independent MLA Dr Shetye, BJP MLAs Delilah Lobo and Dr Deviya Rane spoke in favour of the resolution. Each one of them highlighted the plight of widow women in Goa and stressed on the urgent need for corrective measures. We are thankful to each one of them for understanding the seriousness of the issue and speaking on behalf of 50 % population of the State.

“If these practices are not there for men, they should not be there for women,” said Dr Deviya Rane. Siolim MLA Delilah Lobo who went emotional while describing the plight of widow women asserted that ‘the choice should be hers’, corroborating WE’s stand on the issue.

“We are standing here because of a woman. Let us be example for rest of the country,” said MLA Alton D’costa.

“A widow has to be given equal rights and acceptance which she enjoyed when her husband was alive,” said Captain Venzy.

Dr Shetye called on the need for abolishing discrimination and respecting the dignity of a women.

Viresh Borkar asked the house to come up with widow welfare schemes and implement the provisions of the common civil code in the interest of women in Goa.

WE(Why Exclude) is also thankful to Speaker Ramesh Tawadkar, CM Pramod Sawant and all the other legislators for showing their solidarity and standing for the cause of women in Goa.

The house lauded 14 Panchayats across Goa for proactively taking resolutions to stop discriminatory widowhood practices in areas within their jurisdiction. WE greatly values this grass root level support to take forward the movement and also seek it for effective implementation of the law, once it is made. We looks forward to wholehearted and sustained support from all the Panachayats and Municipalities across Goa towards this noble cause.