DOWRY SYSTEM

Sampda Mahajan
Bsc. Home Science (Pass)
Section I

Department of Development of Communication and Extension

Lady Irwin College
New Delhi

Contents
 Prevalence of Dowry System –an Evil
 Social and Economic Factors
 Ill Effects like Domestic Violence
 Laws
 Educating Girls
 Prevalence of Dowry system- An evil

Prevalence of Dowry system- An evil

 Dowry - Payment in cash or some kind of gifts given to a bridegroom's family along
with the bride.
 Last 100 years dowry system has overtaken bride price system where the opposite
was practiced.
 Dowry prevalence is based on geography and class
 In India states in north likely to participate in Dowry system
 Southern states still participate in bride price system
 Social and Economic Factors

Social and Economic Factors

 Social Factors – Tradition, Customs or rituals and marriage squeeze
 Traditions and customs are major causes of dowry
 Marriage Squeeze- shortage of eligible grooms increases competition amongst women
in marriage market
 Bride’s family Economic Status- Upper class expected to pay more and do grand
display of wealth
 Inheritance system not legal till 1950 could have contributed to dowry being given as
moveable gifts to provide security to girl by bride’s family.
 Ill-Effects like Domestic Violence

Ill effects like domestic violence

 Violence against women- dowry is main contributor
 Physical abuse occurs to demand dowry
 Prominent states are UP, Bihar and Haryana
 Emotional Abuse- Impact of dowry demands results in emotional trauma and can lead
to depression and suicide
 Murder- Dissatisfaction of financial demands in groom’s family may result in murder
of the bride.
 Above factors have resulted in skewed sex ratio where boys are preferred more over
girls and hence female infanticide takes place
 Laws

Laws
 Dowry Prohibition Act-1961. It prohibits demanding, taking and giving of dowry
 Dowry is illegal but still incidents of Domestic violence occur while demanding dowry
 IPC Section 498 A added vide amendment in 1983 against husband or relative of
husband of the woman to prevent cruelty.
 Supreme Court uphelds Section 498 in 2005
 Domestic Violence Act introduced in 2005/2006
 Educating Girls

Educating Girls
 Emphasize on Educating Girls
 Parents to take education of Girls seriously
 Education makes the Girl independent , Confident & earns respect
 Support the Girl with career instead of Dowry
 Educating Girl is the best Gift from Parents
 Fact Sheet

Dowry System
Sampda Mahajan
Bsc Home Science (pass) I Section

Prevalence of Dowry system- An evil

1. What is Dowry?
o It is Payment in cash or some kind of gifts given to a bridegroom's family along with
the bride.
2. In the Last 100 years, the dowry system has overtaken bride price system where the
wealth used to flow in the opposite direction.
3. Dowry prevalence is based on geography and class of the society and it varies from
place to place making somewhere as dowry system and some places as bride price
system.
4. In India states the north states are likely to participate in Dowry system
5. Whereas , the Southern states still participate in bride price system

Social and Economic Factors

1. There are many social Factors like Tradition, Customs or rituals and “marriage squeeze”
that contribute to the dowry practices in India.
2. We find that traditions and customs are major causes of dowry
3. What is Marriage Squeeze?
o It is a shortage of eligible grooms which increases competition amongst women
in marriage market to bid for the grooms and hence raising the dowry and
making them feel more distinguished.
4. The other factor is Bride’s family Economic Status. The Upper class expected to pay
more and do grand display of wealth
5. Moreover, the Inheritance system was not legal till 1950 and this could have
contributed to dowry being given as moveable gifts to provide security to girl by bride’s
family.
Ill effects like domestic violence & Female infenticide
1. If we look at the main causes of Violence against women, we shall find that dowry is
main contributor
2. Many forms of violence are meted on brides to pressurize them to bring in more dowry.
Physical abuse occurs to demand dowry
3. The Emotional Abuse
o Impact of dowry demands results in emotional trauma and can lead to
depression and suicide
4. Murder
o Dissatisfaction of financial demands in groom’s family may result in murder of
the bride.
5. Above factors have resulted in skewed sex ratio where boys are preferred more over
girls and hence female infanticide takes place
6. The Prominent states are UP, Bihar and Haryana

Laws
1. Many laws have been framed to term the dowry as illegal and abolish it.
2. The Dowry Prohibition Act-1961 prohibits demanding, taking and giving of dowry
3. Dowry is illegal but still incidents of Domestic violence occur while demanding dowry
4. IPC Section 498 A added vide amendment in 1983 against husband or relative of
husband of the woman to prevent cruelty.
5. Supreme Court has upheld Section 498 in 2005
6. Domestic Violence Act was introduced in 2005/2006 to prevent the violence in
households against women by men.

Educating Girls
1. The parent should lay Emphasis on Educating Girls
2. Parents must take education of Girls seriously and understand its importance.
3. It is the Education that makes the Girl independent , Confident & earns respect
4. Support the Girl with career instead of Dowry
5. Parent should understand That Educating Girl is the best Gift from Parents

References
1. En. wikipedia. Org/wiki
2. pulitzercenter.org/Asia/ Indian dowry