A Hindu widow is supposed to take off all ornaments, wear only black or white, cut her hair short, walk barefoot after her husband dies. It's a living death for her--she cannot even participate in auspicious ceremonies like weddings, nor is she allowed to remarry.
By contrast nothing changes for a man who has lost his wife. Our Community Correspondent interviews a widow and the widower. The widower says men are like 'free birds' and he has not had to face any restrictions after his wife passed away. By contrast, the widow reveals how a woman must control her desires and abide by what tradition has dictated for her. Such gender-based discrimination is the function of the iron-grip of patriarchy in our lives.
A woman is seen as incomplete by herself--she can only be someone's daughter or wife and her identity is linked to that of a man. Even today as women go out in the world and succeed, such noxious practices restrict and throttle ambitions of many more. We need to challenge such practices in our lives and in our conversations. #KhelBadal
COMMUNITY CORRESPONDENT SUNITA KASERA FROM RAJASTHAN REPORTS FOR VIDEO VOLUNTEERS. THIS SERIES DOCUMENTING EVERYDAY PATRIARCHY IS SUPPORTED BY UNFPA
Community Correspondents come from marginalised communities in India and produce videos on unreported stories.
These stories are ’news by those who live it.’ They give the hyperlocal context to global human rights and development challenges. See more such videos at www.videovolunteers.org. Take action for a more just global media by sharing their videos and joining in their call for change.
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Yashodhara – A salve for the social injuries of the Dalits in Mumbai’s slums.
Yashodhara Salve’s style of community journalism has led to Dalit women marshalling against atrocities they faced, women standing up against traditions that exile them from society and women going on camera to demand education for their daughters which is a basic right. The 38-year old Community Correspondent grew up in...