A/81/133 35. Estimates range from one in five to three in five older victims having some type of cognitive or psychological impairment, 91 often leading to their testimony being discounted and making it difficult for them to navigate complex legal procedures. Abuse of the guardianship role, when an older woman is partially or fully stripped of her legal capacity, severely limits her possibility of legal recourse and risks manipulation of the legal system. 92 Geographical remoteness means that legal aid services, courts and support organizations are frequently accessible only in urban centres. 93 Especially in cases involving adult family perpetrators, accountability is frequently avoided, as victims are diverted away from justice mechanisms into care based responses instead. 94 36. The high cost of litigation, including legal representation, transportation and court filing fees, disproportionately affects older women. 95 Documentation barriers are also significant, as many older women, including Roma women, lack the required birth certificates, identity documents or proof of residence. 96 Delays in collecting evidence or interviews conducted over an extended period of time are problematic if the woman has a progressive illness, 97 and some may not live long enough to see justice delivered. V. Groups of women particularly at risk 37. Some groups of older women are at particular risk of violence and discrimination. These groups include, but are not limited to, those set out below. A. Widows 38. Widows are often older women. For example, in India, 48% of women over 60 are widowed, compared to 16% of men. 98 They may experience a decline in social status or increased dependence on male relatives, with the expectation to withdraw from public life and to defer decision-making authority to younger family members. 99 In Vrindavan, India, often referred to as the “city of widows”, many of the estimated 15,000 to 20,000 destitute women residing there after being abandoned by their families survive through begging. 100 39. Available evidence shows that widows around the world are routinely subjected to stigmatization and highly discriminatory social practices, such as mandatory ritual cleansing and mobility restrictions. 101 Furthermore, they may be expected to comply with prescribed dress codes or behaviours and strict mourning practices, 102 or pressured to forcefully remarry. 103 In countries such as Nigeria, 104 widows are at risk of property-grabbing, eviction from marital homes and the denial of inheritance by relatives of deceased spouses. __________________ 91 Submission by Canada. See A/HRC/57/42. 93 Submission by Juan Didier Pierre. 94 Joint submission by Open University and others. 95 Submission by the Institute for Human Rights and Development in Africa. 96 Submission by the Global Forum of Communities Discriminated on Work and Descent. 97 Submission by Collective Shout. 98 Submission by the Association of People with Disability. 99 Submission by Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT University). 100 See https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20160907-the-widows-who-cant-return-home. 101 See https://data.unwomen.org/sites/default/files/documents/Publications/Advocacy -Brief_OlderWomen.pdf. 102 Submission by the Rural Women Assembly. 103 Submission by Nueva Democracia. 104 Submission by United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women. 92 10/26 26-09992