NHRC, India in the shelter homes for widows. • Health Issues: No routine health check-ups, no data available about vaccination and Covid-19 testing at the shelter homes for widows. • Lack of access to schemes for economic and social benefits: Not able to enjoy their property rights, unemployment, lack of skill training, no financial assistance, these widows are abandoned by their families and many are begging for survival. Further, widows do not have access to social welfare schemes due to lack of proper identity and other required documents. • Lack of funds for shelter homes for destitute widows: Most of the widows' shelter homes are poorly maintained and due to inadequate funds, the living conditions continue to be substandard and pitiable. • Lack of updated demographic data on destitute widows. Only limited and outdated data available about their socio-economic conditions. • Lack of Awareness: Due to lack of awareness and education, the widows are not able to exercise their constitutional, legal and human rights. 7.79 Some of the major suggestions that emanated from the meeting are as follows: • The property rights of widows need to be restored in order to end their plight and to make a way for their dignified living. • Leaving widows to fend for themselves has to be discouraged by making it punishable under the law to stop this practice. • Government can be made accountable for non-implementation of welfare schemes, if basic amenities are not provided to the destitute widows, resulting in violation of their human rights including the right to food, shelter, dignity and property. • Widows should be made self-reliant through self-employment by way of providing them necessary skill training. • Government need to review the amount of monthly pension to widows in order to ensure that the same is sufficient to meet their basic needs. Core Group on Women 7.80 A meeting of the Core Group on Women was organised on 14September 2021 under the chairpersonship of Smt. JyotikaKalra, Hon’ble Member, NHRC on the theme,���Participation of Women at International Forums’ as reinstated under Article 8 of the Convention on Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) which was ratified by India in 1993. 7.81 The meeting was attended by Core Group members, representatives from various ministries including the Ministry of External Affairs, Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions and Ministry of Women and Child Development, special invitees along with senior officers of the Commission. ANNUAL REPORT 100 2021-22