SOCIO - ECONOMIC PROBLEMS OF COVID – 19 WIDOWS

In the wave of Covid-19, world is struggling for solution to come out from health threats as well as socio -economic problems. More than 42.5 Cr people were infected by this disease and 60 Lac deaths are reported up to last week of February 2022 in the overall world. India has been one of the world's worst Covid-hit nations, recording more than 4.28 Cr cases and 5.12 lacs official deaths so far. The pandemic has left more than twelve thousands of women are newly widowed, struggling to adjust to a new life without their spouse. In our deeply patriarchal system, their lives became very hard. They are struggling for financial support as well as their social problems. Not only sympathy is required for them but financial support also. While losing a spouse can be destabilizing, it has been dangerous for thousands of Indian women who have lost their husbands to COVID-19. Most of them were housewives, who have no any financial knowledge and awareness of their financial status. It became very hard to them to manage their mental state and family needs mostly their children’s needs.

In this paper researcher wants to focus on the socio – economic problems these widows are facing. They have school going children, old in laws in family. Now they don’t require sympathy any more but financial help, earning source and respectful life in the society. Their responsibility as a single parent is now very hard challenge for them, so they required some help from their family, society as well as from government in nurturing their children with dignity.