Meet to empower widows tomorrow

Vijayawada: To eradicate superstitions about widows, Bala Vikasa will promote a new social movement to empower widows. About 10,000 widows will participate and over 30 NGOs will join the social movement to mark International Widows Day on June 23.

In this regard, Bala Vikasa, an NGO in Telugu States would organise a state-level convention with the participation of 10,000 widows, said Singareddy Shoury Reddy, executive director of Bala Vikasa here on Thursday.

Reddy said that it was pathetic to see millions of widows in our country discriminated, harassed and isolated on many occasions by family and society. 

He said superstitions continue to drive society. Every widow in the country must enjoy dignity, opportunity, security like every other human being, he added.

A social transformation was needed through a mass social awareness programme among the educated and progressive society members.

He said that Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu was invited along with Assembly Speaker Kodela Siva Prasad Rao, Minister for Women Welfare Paritala Sunitha and others. 

He said that the International Widows Day will be organised with 10,000 participants from women groups, village committees, leaders etc on at Indira Gandhi Municipal Stadium here on June 23.