"Dowry Mother of Social Evils: January 2022

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“DOWRY…MOTHER OF SOCIAL EVILS
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Indian Journal of Adult Education ISSN : 0019-5006
Vol. 81, No. 3(I) July-September 2020
“DOWRY…MOTHER OF SOCIAL EVILS”
Showkat Ahmad Dar
Dr.Naseer Ahmad Lone
Abstract:
The World Health Organization (2009) implicates deep-rooted cultural and social norms as
influential contributing factors toward physical and intimate partner violence against women. The
dowry system is a social practice that perpetuates the oppression, torture, and murder of women in
India. The practice of dowry is an expected part of marriage in cultures where arranged marriages are
the norm. Violence can occur when the dowry or bride-price is deemed unsatisfactory by the
recipient. In India, in spite of laws prohibiting the practice, not much has changed over the last 30
years. The National Crime Records Bureau of India recorded a total of 8,618 female deaths related to
dowry disputes in 2011, and the Asian Women‘s Human Rights Council (2009) estimates that the
practice of dowry is implicated in 25,000 deaths and maiming of women between the ages of 15–34
in India every year. The current review of literature reveals that despite efforts on the part of the
Indian government, social activists and feminists organizations in India, not much has changed over
the past decade, in fact, the problem has increased, resulting in an unprecedented amount of mortality
and morbidity among women in India. National Crime Bureau of India, as recently as 2017, recorded
nearly 7000 dowry linked deaths. Dowry deaths rose from about 19 per day in 2001 to 21 per day in
2016. And we are yet talking about reported dowry deaths here. There are many that go unreported.
Taking or giving dowry has been criminalized by law as early as 1961. But, it is still a significant
part of Indian marriage and is openly defying laws and failing women empowerment. The brutal
reality of the dowry system is not the story of rural areas only. Even the educated family sitting in
metropolitan cities like Delhi and Bangalore is harassing a woman for not bringing enough gold or
money. Not more than 16 days of the year 2020 had passed, Bengaluru, the silicon valley of India,
reported 17 cases of abuse and death of women for dowry as mentioned in The New Indian Express.
Going by this 2020 could be the worst for the plight of women due to dowry system, when is the
end? Dowry system is followed in India since a very long time. Our ancestors started this system for
valid reasons but now it is leading to issues and problems in society. In this Research paper on
dowry, we will see what dowry exactly is, how it started, and why it should be stopped now.
Keynotes: Meaning, Causes, Effects of Dowry, Government stand against dowry, is Dowry
unethical etc.
Objectives of the study:

The specific objectives of the evaluation study include the assessments / examination of the
following:
1. The origin of dowry its causes and effects on present Generation.
3. The portray as to what extent the dowry affects the poor people.
3. To identify the role of government in order to end social evil called Dowry.
4. To identify the problems associated with Dowry.
5. To portray as to what extent dowry is important and unethical.
Methodology:
In this research paper the data for the present study is collected mainly through secondary sources
the objectivity of historical and current writings has been used to develop a frame work of the study
and to arrive at an unbiased conclusion. The data collected with a view to identify and analysis the
origin of dowry, its causes and effects on present generation.
Research Questions:
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1. What is the origin of Dowry?
2. What are its causes and effect?
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3. Role of Government and Judiciary to end the Dowry?
4. Is dowry important?
5. Is dowry Unethical?
6. Does Dowry lead to Suicide?
7. Is dowry a mother of all evils?
8. Possible solutions to end dowry?
Literature Review:
Introduction:
Marriage is an integral part of society, a source of joy and festivities as well as of new beginnings.
Yet, one of the longest standing evils associated with marriage from a woman‘s point of view in the
Indian society is the Dowry system. Despite a lot being said and done against the custom, it is still
prevalent in the 21st century, in both subtle and obvious ways. The root of a host of social atrocities
against women, the custom of presenting dowry is the crudest expression of the male-dominance in
the society. It is most often the mandatory custom of a girl‘s parents having to provide a considerable
amount of cash, gold in the form of jewelry, electronic equipment, movable or immovable properties,
to the groom and his family, at the time of marriage. Although the origin of the custom lies with
parents trying to assure financial stability for their daughters, in current perspective it has translated
into parents paying up for the assurance of well-being of their daughters. The jewelry and cash that a
bride brings with her from her parents‘ house is often referred to as ―Streedhan‖ and in theory is the
property of the girl, but in reality it is often treated as their rightful due by the groom‘s family. The
sum to be paid as dowry has no set standard, the yardstick greatly depends on the groom‘s
profession/social standing and is often perceived as the groom‘s family as the compensation of
efforts they have made to educate their boy. In a more subtle perspective, one may define this custom
as the unquestioned idea that the girl‘s family is inferior in standing with the boy‘s family, no matter
what her qualities are. Thus they need to be on their best behavior and offer lavish ―gifts‖ to please
the boy‘s family. This ideal is so ingrained in the psyche of a large number of Indians, they either
practically ruin themselves financially in order to pay for the appropriate price of the chosen groom,
or make a bid to eradicate the prospect of this financial burden by selective gender-biased abortion or
female infanticide. This exploitative system that has turned the custom of giving gifts and well
wishes into a compulsory demand for money, respect and subjugation, is the one of the major
contributing factors hindering the growth of the Indian society where being a woman is still viewed
synonymous to being a burden.
Originating from the Medieval Latin word, deuterium, and dowry has evidently existed for a long
time in society. Dowry refers to the cash, property, and valuable goods that the family of the bride
gives the groom, and the family of the groom, as a condition for their engagement. Whether it is in
cash or kind, the nature of the gifts include, but are not limited to, gold, jewelry, household
appliances and items, furniture, and vehicles. The number of cases filed under the Dowry Prohibition
Act witnessed a rise from 690 in 2018 to 739 in 2019. The number had stood at 727 in 2017. The
number of dowry deaths saw a jump from 48 in 2018 to 52 in 2019, with none reported so far in
2020. Groom‘s families take advantage of the stronghold of the dowry system which ultimately
brings them wealth. Often they ‗rightfully‘ abandon or abuse the woman for dowry because she and
her family did not fulfill their duty. A young 27 year old PhD scholar committed suicide because her
in-laws were not okay with her continuing studies. A flight attendant Anissa Batra who jumped off
her terrace, her parents say, was tortured emotionally for dowry. India has an alarming trend that sees
20 women die every day as a result of harassment over a dowry – either murdered, or compelled to
commit suicide. Why is the dowry system still a threatening reality? Why do we value a woman‘s
life around the amount of gold she brings in dowry? Questions like these need to be raised again and
again.
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Dowry system is followed in India since a very long time. Dowry system started even before the
British period. In those days, society does not use to consider dowry as a ―Money‖ or ―Fee‖ you have
to pay to be bride‘s parents. The idea behind the dowry system was, to make sure the bride will be
financially stable after getting married. The intentions were very clear. Brides parents used to give
money, land, assets to the bride as a ―Gift‖ to make sure their daughter will be happy and
independent after marriage. But when British rule came into the picture, they restricted women to
own any property. Women were not allowed to buy any property, land or assets. Hence, men started
owning all the ―Gifts‖ given to the bride by her parents. This rule changed pure dowry system into a
mess! Now parents of the bride were looking at their bride as a source of income. Parents started
hating their daughters and wanted only sons. They started demanding money as a dowry. Women
were suppressed since they did not have equal rights as men. And since then, grooms parents follow
this rule to their advantage. Dowry system is a tradition that does not belong to a single country; it is
in all over the world. The girl‘s parents (bride family) gives the goods, cash, gifts, and real or
movable property to the groom, his parents, or his relatives as a condition of the marriage, and
engagement. We are living in the 21st century but still many social evils are existing in our society.
Dowry is one of them. We can‘t imagine a marriage without dowry in some places in the world. It is
mandatory in some countries. The dowry can be in any role. If I create a dowry checklist hundred-
plus items will be in it. The main dowry items are money, car, motorcycle, gold, home furniture and
appliance, electronic gadgets, clothes, and many other items.
Causes of Dowry:
Dowry system is a tradition that does not belong to a single country, it is in all over the world. The
girl‘s parents (bride family) gives the goods, cash, gifts, and real or movable property to the groom,
his parents, or his relatives as a condition of the marriage, and engagement. We are living in the 21st
century but still many social evils are existing in our society. There are a lot of causes of dowry
system in our society but the main reasons are:
It is a tradition:
Yes, dowry is a marital tradition that is coming for the last centuries when the bride‘s parents give
needful things at her daughter‘s marriage so she can survive well. But now we have become
mandatory for everyone. Either you have money or not but you will have to give dowry on her girl
marriage. The dowry tradition still continues and increasing day by day.
Greedy Groom families demand it:

A groom‘s family asks to bride parents what things will you give before or on marriage? Because
their boy is doing a good job, they have good property, their boy is doing a good business, they have
a nice reputation in the society or more reason for demanding it. If her parents are agreed then the
bride and groom get married, otherwise no relation is made. However, all these matters are discussed
before their engagement or initially.
Bride family wants to give it:

Every parent wants their girl to go to a rich family. They find a guy who has a good job, business, or
good income sources. We can say that the bride‘s parents find a boy who is in their level
(economically and socially) or even up. To fill this gap the bride‘s family doesn‘t hesitate from
giving dowry.
To build a reputation in society:

Both the bride and groom‘s family think if they will give dowry on marriage it will increase their
reputation and people will talk good about them. In a simple world, dowry is given for show-off as
well. People compare themselves to each other. If they can give dowry then why not us? Our wrong
thoughts are also boosting the dowry.
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Illiteracy:
Another cause of dowry system, lack of education (Illiteracy) in a society. The dowry problem is
more in undeveloped or developing countries compared with developed countries. If a girl or woman
will be well educated and working then why anybody need to give dowry? The old thinking people
or illiterate persons are more interested in receiving dowry.
Ignorance of anti-dowry laws:

Dowry Prohibition Act is ineffective or people don‘t care about this law because it is not
implemented effectively. Even maybe people don‘t know about the dowry act which is enacted to
prevent the giving or taking of a dowry. You may have to go to jail or fill a big fine for it.
Greed Factor – dowry demands often is exemplary of the collective greed of the society. Extortion
in the name of social standing, compensation for the cost of groom‘s education, his financial stability
is a key feature of Indian marriages. Demands are put forward shamelessly and are expected to be
met with silence. Threats of withdrawing the proposal looms on the bride‘s family‘s head at the cost
of losing face in the community, and portions of the agreed upon sum is often demanded before the
actual ceremony.
Society Structure – the dowry system is largely the manifestation of the patriarchal nature of the
Indian society where men are considered superior to women in aspects of physical and mental
capabilities. With the backdrop of such societal structure, women are often considered second-tier
citizens, fit to assume only domesticated roles. Such perceptions are often associated of them being
treated as a burden in economic terms first by the father and then by the husband. This feeling is
further compounded by the dowry system which fuels the belief that girl child is a potential cause of
drain of family finances.
Religious Dictates – Religious constraints imposed by the society on marriage customs, mainly
suitability of groom have a contributing factor towards the dowry problem. These constraints do not
condone inter-religious marriages or even between different religious sects and a suitable groom has
to be found from the same religious backgrounds. These restrictions limit the number of suitable
matches. Boys of marriageable age with desirable qualifications become a prize and this in turn
encourages the practice of the catch being caught by the highest bidder.
4. Social Constraints – Aside from similar religious backgrounds, further constrains are imposed
based on caste system and social status. Practices like caste endogamy and clan exogamy, has to be
kept in mind while arranging a match. Preferred matches have to belong to the same caste, different
clan and same or higher social standings. These limitations again severely deplete the pool of
marriageable men leading to similar consequences for demanding dowry.
Social Status of Women – the inferior social standing of women in Indian society is so deep-rooted
in the psyche of the nation, that this treatment of them as mere commodities is accepted without
question, not only by the family but by the women themselves. When marriage is viewed as the
ultimate achievement for women, evil practices like dowry takes its roots deeper in the society.
Propulsion towards Adhering to Customs – Indians value traditions a lot and they tend not to
question customs. They follow traditions blindly and provide dowry because it is the norm handed
down through generations.
Problems and Effects of Dowry System:

The following are problems pertaining to marriage and family dowry which are affecting our society
seriously. So look at the effects of the dowry system on our women‘s life.
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Domestic violence against women:
Dowry is not a one time process. It keeps continuing after marriage as well. A few greedy families
harass married women to bring more dowry or in case of failure to meet dowry demands. As a result,
the in-laws family does fight with her, beat her hard, or even they kill her. Every day many women
harassment cases are registered due to dowry. In some cases, married women commit to suicide due
to continuous harassment, some are burned or injured badly by in-laws family. Dowry deaths are
found predominantly in Pakistan, India, Iran, Bangladesh, and a few more countries in the world.
Financial burden:
It is a big financial burden on our society. The bride‘s family starts collecting goods and saving
money for dowry on her marriage from the day she takes birth. In many cases, her parents have to
take borrow money from relatives and friends, a loan from the bank, and even sell their property for
doing just her marriage. An average middle class spent 20 lakhs (2 million) on girl marriage.
Waste of money:
Yes, it is totally a waste of money. People don‘t spend money as much money on their child‘s
education and career as they spend on dowry and marriage expenses. An average gathering of 300 to
1000 guests in normal Indian marriage and bride family take care of all these meals, sitting and
comforts. It is also another type of dowry. We can save this money to the bank or use it for their
education.
Encourage to gender discrimination and female feticide:

Why always bride parents have to give dowry, groom why family not? A girl‘s parents get separated
from her precious child forever but still, we need dowry along with her. This is not fair and
encourages gender discrimination. Our society gives more preference to the boy child. Dowry culture
also encourages female feticide due to gender inequality and most families can‘t afford wedding
expenses.
Economic burden – getting a girl married is associated with a hefty amount of money by Indian
parents due to direct or subtle demands for dowry by the groom‘s family. Families often borrow
heavily, mortgage properties leading to major decline in economic health.
Gender inequality – the idea of paying dowry in order to get a girl married generates an increased
sense of inequality among the genders, placing men superior to women. Young girls are kept from
schools while their brothers are given access to education. They are regarded incompetent for roles
other than housework and are often discouraged from taking up jobs. Their opinions are suppressed,
not valued or ignored more often than not. Physical and behavioral restrictions are imposed on girls
that are completely natural for boys.
Injustice towards girls – dowry bears a huge financial obligation for the bride‘s family. As a
consequence, a girl child is viewed a possible source of drain on the family‘s finances, ultimately an
onus. This view evolves into gigantic proportions taking the shape of infanticides and feticides of girl
child. Girls are often marginalized in the areas of education where boys of the family are given
preference. They are thrust towards domestic chores from a very early age. A host of restrictions are
imposed on them in the name of family honor and they are made to stay indoors. Child marriages are
still practiced because age is counted as an index of purity. It also stems from the belief that young
girls can be better molded into the household roles than older girls. The amount of dowry increases
according to the girl‘s age, fuelling the practice.
Gender imbalance – the much abhorred practices like abortion of female fetuses and killing of girl
babies have resulted into an unnaturally skewed child sex ratio (CSR) in India. In states like Haryana
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and Rajasthan where these practices are most prevalent, the CSR stands at 830 girls per 1000 boys.
This in turn leads to peculiar practices like polyandry and an increase in violence against women.
Loss of self-esteem in women – in a country which has experienced centuries of inferior attitude
towards women, it is very hard to maintain a high level of self-regard if you are a woman. Naturally,
women themselves are bound in the shackles of an idea that they are incapable of any contributions
to the society. Their sense of self-worth hits rock bottom and they are increasingly subjugated to
injustice.
Status of women –practices like dowry are social evils and a huge deterrent towards improvement of
social status of women in India. Inferiority of women has been impressed upon the minds of the
nation time and again by the demands of dowry.
Dowry a root of all evils:

Dowry a dreadful and unethical practice. Nowadays dowry has become a part of wedding
ceremonies. If we say that his is common thing among the illiterate or uneducated people, we will be
wrong because educated people are als involved in this evil. Dowry is a social evil which affected
our society very badly. It is the cause of our social and economic deterioration. The custom of dowry
is the route of many evils. There is no religious concern with this practice, but majority of the people
happily adopt it. The elite class to some extent is responsible for this tradition because, they give
luxuries to their daughter that a poor man cannot afford. On the other hand, lower class of society has
not enough to give dowry to their daughters. So, many of them take huge debts because of dowry.
They spend the rest of their lives to pay their debts. Others do not hesitate to earn money by unfair
means to meet the demand of dowry. Many people considered dowry as a religious obligation due to
lack of knowledge. There is no concept of demanding anything in Islam without payment. Although
in reality it is a gift of money or property made the husband to the wife which becomes her absolute
property, in our society the dowry system is not only mandated for girls but also for boys. Today we
fix dowry rates for boys of different categories doctors, engineers, lecturers, business men, etc. Merit
of the girl is of no value. Parents find it difficult to select a boy, well-settled in life. On the other
hand, the boy accepts that girl who belongs to a well-off family, highly educated in service and
earns. He also wants a girl whose parents can give hefty dowry at the time of marriage. Pakistan has
a mass of social problems to tackle today yet the biggest that the country is facing is dowry. This is
one of the reasons the birth of a daughter in Pakistan is regarded as a burden. Recently the
government of Pakistan under the leadership of Imran khan country‘s prime minister enacted a new
law which completely banned the dowry in Pakistan. Hence the poor people of Pakistan can now
inhale and exhale the breath of peace.
Are There Any Advantages of the Dowry System?

Many couples these days choose to live independently and it is said that dowry that mostly includes
gifting cash, furniture, car and other such assets acts as a financial support for them and helps them
to begin their new life on a good note. As both the bride and groom have just begun their career and
are not that sound financially they cannot afford such huge expenses all at once. But is it a valid
reason? If this is the case then both the families should invest in getting them settled rather than
putting the entire burden on the bride‘s family. Moreover, this should hold good if the families can
afford to offer financial help to the newly wed without coming under debt or lowering their own
standard of living. Many also argue that those girls who are not good looking can find grooms by
meeting the latter‘s financial demands. It is unfortunate that girls are seen as a burden and marrying
them off as they enter their twenties is the priority of their parents who are willing to do anything for
the same. Providing huge dowry in such cases works and this evil practice seems as a boon for those
who are able to find (buy) groom for their daughters. However, it is time such mind set should be
changed. The supporters of dowry system also state that providing huge amount of gifts to the groom
and his family raises the status of the bride in the family. However, statistics reveal that in most cases
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it has worked against the girls. The advocators of dowry system may come up with various
unreasonable reasons to support the system but the fact remains that it does more harm than good to
the society as a whole. The dowry system is a curse for the society. It is really a blot on our society.
The evil of dowry is a deep rooted one. The system has made the condition of women in Indian
society very miserable. Unless this system is abolished, Indian society can make no progress.
Dowry in Kashmir:
Kashmir as the land of Sufis and Saints has remained mostly free from many social evils in the past.
No doubt such evils were taking place in other societies of the world where it was almost
institutionalized as it was a part of their custom and culture. Our society inherited this menace from
those societies and slowly started to welcome such culture which has now taken the shape of a big
social evil. Dowry is one of such social evils which is like a dreadful dragon which brings under its
clutches the rich as well as the poor. It has consumed the lives of so many women yet its hunger has
not gone. Dowry is a blot on the modern civilization and it is responsible for social and economic
backwardness of the people. The word `dowry‘ is termed as anything of value, the gifts which a
bride gets along with her at the time of marriage to her husbands home. Thus dowry is a universal
phenomenon and a generally accepted view. It crosses al borders, religions, colors and castes and
travels free. Its roots are so deep that it needs lot of efforts to up-root it. To nip this evil in the bud as
early as possible, women have to wakeup to fight this war themselves. Women‘s organizations need
to be formed state wise, district wise, block wise and awareness camps regarding dowry have to be
arranged. The Dowry Prohibition Act 1961 which prohibits demand for dowry and contains stern
punishment for the people demanding dowry needs to be implemented in letter and spirit. Women
also need to show enough courage by rejecting such marriage proposals where they find people
greedy and selfish and materialistic. This will boost other women to take strong decisions of their
life. Also stringent laws regarding dowry need to be framed so that there will be no place for these
culprits to escape themselves from it. We need to educate our masses especially youth to understand
the negative aspects of this evil so that they can imagine the relevance of their resources and their
proper utilization from the economic, social and human perspective. We need to make them
understand the concept of marriage and its importance in our life. A happy marriage without any
give and take will help them live a good and a prosperous life. Dowry adds to the assets of one
section of the society and the liabilities of the other, the balance sheet remaining the same. We need
not to wait only for the government and its machinery to eradicate such evils but all stake holders
need to take up the issue as a social responsibility. The dowry system is not new for India. It is very
old system. It was also present in the days of Gautam Buddha and Mahavir . But in those days there
was no compulsion. The parents willingly govt presents, ornaments and money to their daughters at
the time of their marriage, but in modern times this system has taken a very ugly shape. It has now
become a compulsion. It is now demanded and settled after a hard bargain. The boys are now sold in
the open market on the highest price. The parents have to purchase them for their daughters. Even if
the girl is equally or highly qualified and career girl still boy‘s parents in terms of dowry demand
what they have spent on their son‘s education, career, business etc. When parents are unable to meet
dowry demand their daughters are compelled to accept unmatched marriages.
As a result of this system, many young brides commit suicide. This system has made the lives of
poor parents of girls miserable. If they are unable to arrange a rich dowry, they find it difficult or
rather impossible to marry their daughters to suitable young boys. Thousands of poor girls are
compelled to pass unmarried life on account of this evil. The birth of the daughter in the house
becomes a cause of great worry for the parents. Their lives become miserable. Sometimes they have
to take loans and remain in debt throughout their lives. Some parents earn money by immoral means
for the marriage of their daughters. Some parents are compelled to give their daughters in marriage
to old men or widowers. Brides who do not bring rich dowry with them are ill- treated. They are
insulted and beaten and sometimes even killed. There is an awakening in the society against the
dowry system now. It has drawn the attention of the government. Anti-dowry Act was passed in
1961, but it could not bring any major change in the society. During the emergency, the government
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again showed deep interest in rooting out this evil. Many State Governments passed Dowry Acts.
Now public meetings are often held in towns and cities to consider ways and means of checking this
evil. The youth should oppose the direct and indirect ways of offering and accepting dowry. Anti-
dowry Act which passed to check the evil, is now being misused by many girls. In many cases it has
been found that after marriage girls use this Anti-dowry Acts as a means of blackmailing their in-
laws for not fulfilling all their unreasonable demands. Hence there is need to make some
amendments in the Act and no investigate anti-dowry cases seriously. In short, no law will be able to
abolish this menace. It is a social problem and can be fought on the social level alone.
Late Marriages Due to Dowry:

Marriage a legal contract between a man and a woman. Both the groom and the bride are to consent
to the marriage of their own free wills. A formal, binding contract – verbal or on paper is considered
integral to a religiously valid Islamic marriage, and outlines the rights and responsibilities of the
groom and bride.
Marriage is described as the legal contract between two people that marks the beginning of the
family. Marriage is not only physical but a spiritual and emotional tie-up between the two souls. It is
meant for purification with the basic aim of preventing a person from assaults of temptation.
Marriage not only associates two persons but many families in the bond of love. Marriage is not the
mere act of continuing the race legally but it is the way of the actual realization of life. Besides
giving an opportunity to grow into selflessness, it also develops a sense of oneness and togetherness
among partners in communion.
People have realized negative impacts that early marriages have on children and there
has been the gradual decline in cases of child marriages. However, the late marriages having no rule
and law have emerged as the new challenge. A Study regarding the number of unmarried over-aged
women has shown about 10,000 girls have crossed marriageable age in Srinagar alone. Although it
has not been established how many men have crossed the age of marriage yet unarguably their
number would also be considerable. Despite the fact that the late marriage is equally
disadvantageous for both genders, in case of females it is and should be treated as the grave problem.
Because we are living in the stereotypical and patriarchal society where inducing a change is
onerous, the society where a girl is still a burden and getting her hand decorated with henna makes a
dream of every parent. In the view of these circumstances the only option left is to curb the problem
by eradicating its fundamental causes. One more factor that is responsible for a late marriage of girls
is the settlement of boys outside of their native state /country. Unemployment has forced many
young men to migrate to other states and countries to have economic prosperity.
As per my point of view parents have very much vital role to control the late marriages in our
society. When the children are at the age of 23 , parents should talk to their children regarding the
marriage. It is our misunderstanding that our children are unemployed how they will run their
families. As the common fact that we have been listening from childhood that Allah doesn't sunset
untill an ant under the rock gets its meal. Have faith on Almighty Allah ,He surely knows how to run
the universe. Late marriages are the reasons that lead to the many evils in the society. The cases of
raping of the females in our society is increasing day by day in your society it is also because of the
late marriages . If we marry our children at the right time with the principles of Islam we can stop
many evils in your society and can save many lives of our children who committing suicides because
of the late marriages.
Dowry is oldest social evil that is still prevailing in both subtle and obvious ways and is a
well-established reason of late marriages. In spite of long being said and done against this custom, it
is one of the basic existing causes of late-marriages. As per fresh reports, 15 deaths were reported in
the last 3yrs over the demand of dowry by in-laws in Kashmir. This evil has impeded the poor
parents to think about wed-locking their girls. Kashmir witnessed the new reprehensible trend of
serving dishes beyond limits in wedding feasts; even currency notes of the high denomination were
presented to guests. Others have to follow such trends compulsively to evade disgrace. But the poor
families fail to withstand this pressure and find it difficult to get their daughters married.
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To resolve this grave issue, one and all have to come forward for the elimination of above-
mentioned problems. Anti-dowry laws should be stricter that can help to contain the problem.
Wealthy families should abstain from lavishly staged marriage ceremonies and prefer its
solemnization in an austere way. They need to think of lower-classes who get suffered by their
undesirable ostentation. Unemployment is a major concern and is rising uninterruptedly. Either we
have to delink marriage from employment or there is no solution other than government‘s active role
to put an end to favoritism and nepotism. The latter would not only generate competitiveness among
youth but would help to check the problem of unemployment thence late marriage. Lastly, apart from
choosing simpler ways of making marriages, giving preferences to local girls for the union is the
responsibility of every young man. We as Muslims need to remember ―Nikah‖ has been made easy.
By complicating and making it difficult we are giving space to evils for which we would be blamable
on the resurrection day.
When someone proposes marriage to one of you whose religion and character pleases you,
then you should marry him. If you do not do so, there will be tribulations in the earth and the
proliferation of corruption.( Hadith). Ya Allah. If we are to fall in love, let we touch the heart of
someone whose heart is attached to You.
Effects of Dowry:
In more than a dozen countries around the world, dowries are common practice. In almost all cases,
the practice directly or indirectly oppresses women. Oftentimes it leads to abuse and violence. India
is the epicenter of dowry culture, even though the government banned the practice in 1961, and the
effects of the system are everywhere corroding efforts toward greater gender and economic
equality.
Here are 9 reasons why dowry culture in India is horrible for women.
Women Are Killed
More than 8,000 women die as a result of India‘s dowry system each year. Sometimes a woman is
murdered by her husband or in-laws when her family can‘t raise the requested dowry gift. Other
times, women commit suicide after facing harassment and abuse for failing to meet the dowry price.
Women Are Abused
Women who can‘t pay an expected dowry price or who are unable to make additional payments in
the future are often subject to harassment and abuse. Other times, husbands or in-laws throw acid on
a woman or set her on fire. ―The violence ranges from brutal beatings, emotional torture, withholding
money, throwing them out of the house, keeping them away from their children, keeping mistresses
openly,‖ or in extreme cases, ―burning the wife alive,‖ Savra Subratikaan, a women‘s rights worker
in New Delhi, told the Pulitzer Center.
Dowries Make Child Marriage More Likely
To avoid larger dowries, families often marry their daughters off as children. Globally, more than
700 million women alive today were married off when they were under 18. By 2050, this number is
expected to rise to 1.2 billion, according to the anti-child marriage nonprofit Girls Not Brides. India
has the most child brides in the world and this phenomenon is partly driven by the dowry system.
The younger a girl is, the lower her dowry price will usually be, so to save money, families marry off
their daughters at young ages.
Dowries Keep Girls from Going to School

To keep dowry prices low, families also keep girls from going to school, because dowry prices
increase with each additional year of formal education. Families also view school fees for a girl as a
waste of money because that investment will not be recouped by the family later in life. Further, girls
are often kept at home to do labor for training to be better housewives.
Dowries Maintain Gender Inequality

The dowry system dehumanizes women by treating them as property — goods that can be
exchanged. To make matters worse, the system also casts them as a burden, rather than an asset, to
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be passed along — a bride‘s family pays the groom‘s family for the cost of taking care of the
bride. So each dowry that‘s paid reinforces a system where women are viewed as second-class
citizens.
Dowries Lead to Infanticide

Because women are viewed as a financial burden on a family, many parents abort girls or allow them
to die after birth. This leads to both to the chronic undervaluing of women, and a huge gender
disparity.
Dowries Keep Women from Economic Independence

Dowries were once meant to help women achieve a degree of independence in marriage, according
to Varsha Ramakrishna, a doctor and journalist focusing on women‘s health. A bride‘s family would
give her some money and this cushion would help her have some control over her decisions. Over
time, the practice morphed into a system that encourages the dominance of husbands and the
dependence of wives. India, where dowries are most common, has one of the lowest rates of female
participation in the labor force in the world. This is partly because dowries encourage the idea that a
woman will be a taken care of by her husband‘s family and she shouldn‘t earn an outside income. It's
sometimes even seen as an affront if a woman, after paying a dowry, decides to pursue a career.
Dowries Trap Poor People in Debt

Dowries often force poor families to take out loans with steep interest rates, sell off their land to raise
money, promise to pay dowries in installments, and other scenarios that can lead to crippling debt.
―Families from his income group often go begging in order to give marriageable daughters a dowry,‖
Haji Mumtaz Ali, who heads an anti-dowry campaign told The Guardian. ―Other parents sell their
farmland to come up with a dowry. And some parents take out high-interest loans from money
lenders and get trapped with huge debts.
Dowries also deepen class hierarchies. Wealthy families who expect higher dowries essentially
exclude poor families from asking for a marriage.
Dowries Discriminate Against the Disabled

The dowry system disadvantages women who are disabled or who have health conditions because a
prospective husband‘s family will often demand higher payments for marriage. A school textbook in
the state of Maharashtra was pulled after people became outraged over a section that said ―ugly and
handicapped‖ girls will face higher dowry prices.
Dowries are widespread and oppressive — but that doesn‘t mean the practice is so entrenched that
it can‘t be dismantled. There are women‘s rights and economic justice movements growing in India
that seek to abolish dowries. One anti-dowry campaign that operates in three Muslim-majority
villages has brought dowries down from 95% of marriages to just 5% of marriages, according to a
representative. But more needs to be done. The law explicitly forbids dowries, but it suffers from
lack of enforcement. Global Citizen‘s Level the Law Campaign is working to end oppressive laws
and ensure enforcement around the world.
Is dowry important?
The concept of exchanging money, land or other assets in exchange for a joining in marriage of two
individuals is called a dowry. Dowry, one of the oldest known customs in the world, is practiced in
India. In Indian culture the practice is similar to that of many other cultures, the origins of which go
so far back that we cannot even tell when it began. The actual details and specifics of the dowry
often reflect the communities of the participants. Factors such as caste, region, religious conviction,
etc. could all lead to similar yet specific agreements, much like the modern day contract system of
the Western hemisphere. Ultimately, the dowry represents prosperity and security for the bride in
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case of a divorce. The giving of a dowry was the antecedent to the pre-nuptial agreement. Indian
bride The Brahman and the other upper castes usually promote the practice to ensure family lineage
and intra-caste continuity. Lower caste members are more prone to the practice of bride price, since
it is a means to ensure more income for the groom‘s family.
It is important to remember that the caste system is an inequitable system. In such a system, a bride
becomes a commodity for families to gain greater influence and/or to maintain status. In recent times
the government has actively enacted laws and established codes to monitor and control this practice.
They contend that the practice has become a burden and a disadvantage to the families of the
prospective brides.
Is Dowry Ethical:
Dowry is not a demand or mandatory. Ancient Kings set the trend by offering the part or entire
kingdom to those who married their daughters in the absence of male heir to their states. This was
done out of love towards their daughters switch over to another family parents give away the part of
their wealth to help their daughters to begin their new life happily and comfortably. The properties
owned by the parents are mostly inherited from their forefathers. It is done as a custom. Many girls
demand it as their rights from their rich parents. Most parents give it to their daughters with love.
Accepting it is the discretion of the son in law or his family. Mostly people do not reject it as it could
hurt the pride of girls‘ parents.It has evolved in to a social evil when unscrupulous people began to
demand properties and valuables to marry the girls and harass those parents who cannot afford or
part with their belongings. Dowry is banned. Demanding dowry is punishable now. It is unethical to
say that dowry is necessary.
Why the Dowry System should be stopped?

The new dowry system is creating problems in society. Poor parents do not get any groom who will
marry their daughter without taking dowry. They have to take ―Marriage Loans‖ to get their daughter
married. Dowry is becoming a nightmare for Women. The cases of infanticide are increasing. Poor
parents do not have any other option. They cannot afford to have a girl child, and hence they are
intentionally killing infant girl. More than 8000 women are killed because of Dowry! It is very clear
that Dowry is creating violence. Groom‘s parents are misusing this pure tradition. And they are not
aware that they are misusing it, because they are not educated about the traditional dowry system.
Everyone is just following the new dowry system blindly. Dowry is complete injustice with women
and does not give women equal status in society. Because of dowry men will always be superior to
women. This is creating a mess and negative environment in society. Under the Dowry Prohibition
Act, taking or giving dowry is a crime and illegal. If you see someone taking or giving dowry then
you can lodge a complaint against them. Dowry system is good unless and until it is considered as a
gift given to the bride by her parents. If the groom’s parents are demanding money to get married as
a ―Dowry‖ then that is completely wrong and illegal.
How can We Stop Dowry System?

The following are some important steps to eradicate dowry which we and our Government will need
to take together. All Groom need to take step up and ―say no to dowry‖. Boys need to convince their
parents that they will not take or give dowry. They should have the confidence to earn their living.
They should do a simple marriage without doing extra expenses and show-off Educate your daughter
so she can become self-dependence and starts getting some earning which will help her financially
and build confidence and self-esteem. A well-educated girl is also able to make her own decision and
fight against any violence. The government needs to implement the dowry law strictly. However the
dowry prohibition act is already a presence in every county, but people don‘t follow because it is not
enforced strictly. Giving and taking dowry is illegal in some countries and he shall be punishable.
The government needs to amend the law and describe marriage expenses level, identify the culprit
and punish them hard, and solve out dowry cases very quickly so that culprit can go to jail. Say ‗No‘
to those greedy grooms. Yes, stay away and don‘t make any relation with those greedy people who
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ask you for giving dowry. Make everything clean before marriage to avoid further issues. If still,
they pressurize you for giving dowry, you can take strong action against them.
Social awareness activities: The social awareness campaigns can also help to educate the people
and get rid of this dowry tradition. It is the result of awareness, people have started doing simple
marriages without taking/giving dowry in the end, and the dowry is a social stigma that can be
removed with all our contributions and awareness. It is in our blood so it will take more time to
clean. Don‘t make any daughter‘s father poor or borrower. Our desires are never going to fulfill with
other money and things.
Law – several laws have been enacted to prohibit the practice of dowry and the injustice against
women stemming from it. The Dowry Prohibition Act was passed on 20th May, 1961 with an aim to
eradicate the evil practice from the society. The act declares not only the practice of accepting dowry
unlawful, but also penalizes giving of the same. It includes property, valuable security like cash and
jewelry exchanging hand during the marriage. Making demands of dowry is punishable by a
minimum imprisonment of 5 years and a minimum fine of 15,000 rupees. Incidences of cruelty by
the husband or his family against the wife have been addressed in the Section 498A of the Indian
Penal Code and Section 198A in the Criminal Procedure Code. Section 113A added in the Indian
Evidence Act further provides the family of the bride to charge the husband‘s family of abetting
suicide of their daughter within 7 years from the date of marriage.
Enforcement – it is never enough to just introduce acts and amend sections to fight against a social
evil. This requires strict and ruthless enforcement of such laws. That aspect still leaves a lot to be
desired. Although such allegations are taken very seriously by the authorities, lack of proper
investigative procedures often leads to the accused going free. The government needs to ensure a
zero-tolerance policy for such offenders and ensure enforcement of the law through systemic
changes.
Education and self-dependence of women – education is not just required to find your vocation in
life, it is essential to gain eyes and ears to a world beyond the one you can immediately see. It is
important or all of us to emphasize on educating the girls in order to fight widespread social evils
like dowry. Knowledge of their rights will enable them to speak up against practice of dowry and
ongoing marginalization. They will also be able to strive for self-dependence and not view marriage
as their only salvation.
Overhaul of mindsets –India as a country requires major overhaul of its existing mindsets in order
to push back against the iniquitous custom of dowry. They need to realize the fact that in today‘s
society women are perfectly capable of doing anything that men can. Women themselves need to
come out of the belief that they are inferior to men and they need to depend on men to provide for
them.
Types of Dowry crimes

Dowry is considered a major contributor towards observed violence against women in India. Some
of these offences include physical violence, emotional abuses, and even murder of brides and young
girls prior to marriage. The predominant types of dowry crimes relate to cruelty (which includes
torture and harassment), domestic violence (including physical, emotional and sexual assault),
abetment to suicide and dowry death (including, issues of bride burning and murder).
Cruelty
Cruelty in the form of torture or harassment of a woman with the objective of forcing her to meet a
demand for property or valuable security is a form of dowry crime. The cruelty could be in the form
of verbal attacks or may be accompanied by beating or harassment in order to force the woman or
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her family to yield to dowry demands. In many instances, the cruelty may even force the woman to
commit suicide and it has been specifically criminalized by the anti-dowry laws in India.
Domestic violence
Domestic violence includes a broad spectrum of abusive and threatening behavior which includes
physical, emotional, economic and sexual violence as well as intimidation, isolation and coercion.
There are laws like the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act 2005 that help to reduce
domestic violence and to protect women's rights.
Dowry murder
Dowry deaths and dowry murder relate to a bride's suicide or killing committed by her husband and
his family soon after the marriage because of their dissatisfaction with the dowry. It is typically the
culmination of a series of prior domestic abuses by the husband's family. Most dowry deaths occur
when the young woman, unable to bear the harassment and torture, commits suicide by hanging
herself or consuming poison. Dowry deaths also include bride burning where brides are doused in
kerosene and set ablaze by the husband or his family. Sometimes, due to their abetment to commit
suicide, the bride may end up setting herself on fire Dowry deaths can also include sex selective
abortions and female foeticide by parents who do not want to pay for their daughter's dowry when
she comes of age. Daughters are often seen as economic liabilities due to the dowry system.
Role of Judiciary:
Groom‘s families take advantage of the stronghold of the dowry system which ultimately brings
them wealth. Often they ‗rightfully‘ abandon or abuse the woman for dowry because she and her
family did not fulfill their duty. A young 27 year old PhD scholar committed suicide because her in-
laws were not okay with her continuing studies. A flight attendant Anissa Batra who jumped off her
terrace, her parents say, was tortured emotionally for dowry. India has an alarming trend that sees 20
women die every day as a result of harassment over a dowry – either murdered, or compelled to
commit suicide. Why is the dowry system still a threatening reality? Why do we value a woman‘s
life around the amount of gold she brings in dowry? Questions like these need to be raised again and
again.
India's Supreme Court has ordered the authorities to stop misuse of the anti-dowry law after
concerns that a large number of false cases were being filed.
The court said that people accused of dowry harassment should not be arrested until charges were
verified. Thousands of people are arrested every year under the tough anti-dowry law, but conviction
rates are low. Women's rights activists say that the changes will make it harder for the victims of
dowry abuse to get justice.
 The woman who fights for men's rights
 India women 'misusing' dowry law
 Poking fun at India's dowry problem
Government data shows that 7,634 women were killed in 2015 in dowry-related incidents. The
practice of dowry has been illegal in India since 1961, but it continues to thrive and campaigners say
it leaves women vulnerable to domestic violence and even death.
Mitigation and Preventive Measures:
The mitigations and preventive measures to combat dowry system in India. The first solution to fight
system is Education.
There’s an African saying which goes like this “If you educate a man you educate an individual
but if you educate a woman you educate an entire nation”. This is true for India.
Poverty is not the only reason why many Indian girls are not getting their fundamental right of
education. There are many other factors like lack sanitation facilities in schools, shortage of public
schools and teachers, lack of support from girls‘ family members and many more.
What we are talking here is educating society that Dowry system is a social evil which come from
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ignorance and illiteracy within Indian society. Some rural households believe that girls should stop
schooling after reaching puberty to avoid eve-teasing by boys on their long walk from their home to
school. Educating the next generations about dowry systems drawbacks is long-term solution.
India has the highest number of child brides in Asia. Backward thinking like educating girls is a
waste of time and money as they are born only to be married off and manage the household.
There are two major laws against Dowry System in India.
The Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961 act
• the act doesn‘t allow the custom of giving or taking of dowry by either party to a marriage.
• The act imposes a duty on parties getting married to make a list of gifts and presents.
Here are penalties under this act:
• Any person who gives or takes dowry can get minimum five years of punishment
• Any person who helps someone to give or take dowry can get punishment.
• If a person advertises to give money in return for marrying his son, daughter or relative; this is
punishable
Second law is Domestic Violence Act, 2005:
Women often suffer physical and mental domestic violence due to dowry demands.
To counteract the abuse, the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005 was
introduced. Mainly this act provided a civil law to protect a woman from domestic violence. Act
covers physical abuse, sexual abuse, verbal or emotional abuse as well as economic abuse.
Second solution to eradicate dowry system is Promoting Gender Equality
Summary of solutions to the dowry system is as follow:

• Access to education and healthcare must be fundamental rights for women.
• The Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961 act punishes any person who gives and takes dowry.
• Domestic Violence Act, 2005 deals with women often suffer physical and mental domestic
violence due to dowry demands.
• Gender Equality means providing an equal opportunities, rights and freedom to an individual
irrespective of sex origin.
• Society must recognize that women are important participants and contributors in the development
of the home, the society and the nation.
• Inter-cast and inter – religion marriages provide youth a wide range of selection in finding a
suitable mate for marriage. It is the easiest way for girls to get out of the vicious circles of dowry
system
• Social awareness is the necessity to eradicate dowry system from the nation
• According to Hindu Succession Amendment Act, 2005, every daughter, regardless of her status
being married or not, is considered a member of her father‘s Hindu Undivided Family.
• Mass media should play key role in educating the next generation about social issues like the dowry
Suggestions:
1. Dowry’s Prohibition Act 1961:
The custom of dowry among Hindu created various problems in the society in marrying daughters.
Hence in order to abolish the custom of dowry the Government enacted Dowry Prohibition Act on
20th May 1961. This act extends to the whole of India except the state of Jammu and Kashmir. The
provision of this Act was enforced since July 1st, 1961. The Act permits presents in the form of
ornaments, clothes and other articles not exceeding Rs. 2000/- in value.
In other words, it is legalized to that extent only. This act exempted all Muslims from its provisions
while it brought all other communities within its preview. The penalty provided in the Act for the
offender is imprisonment for six months or a tine up to Rs.5000 – or both. The offences under the act
are non- cognizable. However, the courts cannot take cognizance of any offence under the Act unless
a complaint is made within one year from the date of the offence. The Act was amended in June
1986 and made more stringent. According to this Act, if a person receives a dowry for the benefit of
wife or her successors, then it is necessary for that person to transfer that dowry to his wife. If the
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person concerned does not do so he is liable to be punished for an imprisonment of 6 months and a
fine of Rs.5000/-..However this legislation failed to produce the desired results in our society. ―The
committee on the status of women in India 1974‖ reported that the Dowry prohibition Act 1961 has
failed to curb the evils of dowry. It is a fact that evils of dowry cannot be eradicated by legislation
alone. No law can be enforced without the wholehearted co-operation of the people. Enacting a law
no doubt sets pattern of behaviors, activates social conscience and renders some assistance towards
the efforts of social reformers in getting it abolished but we cannot eradicate the evil itself unless the
people carry the philosophy behind the law much further.
2. Non – Legislative measures to abolish the dowry practice:
Special efforts are to be made by every institution to motivate people to act for the effective
implementation of legislative measure to combat the menace of dowry system from our society.
Hence non- legislative measures are also required to abolish the dowry system. Some non legislative
measures are discussed here.
3. Propaganda and publicity against dowry:
Modern media like T.V Radio, movies news papers and internet should make propaganda against
dowry practice by launching various anti dowry practice by launching various anti dowry programs
to convince people that the practice of dowry is not only illegal but also unethical. Social
consciousness about the ill effects of dowry system needs to be aroused.
4. An appeal to the idealism of the Youth:
Youths are the only ray of hope to combat effectively the menace of dowry system. They must be
given moral value based education to broaden their minds and widen their outlook. They must be
inspired to take initiative towards its actual abolition by rejecting dowry for the marriage. Besides,
women must be given vocational education to perpetuate the inequality of the sexes. They should
take a pledge to boycott those boys who ask for dowry to marry them.
5. Role of voluntary organization:
The role of voluntary organizations in this regard is very significant. They should come forward to
work for the abolition of dowry system. They should make propaganda against the evils of dowry.
The workers of these organizations should help the victims of dowry harassment and get them
justice. These organizations should make aware of their address to the people through advertisement
so that victims can appeal them for their help to get justice.
6. Encouragement of Inter- caste and Inter – religion Marriage
Inter-cast and inter – religion marriage must be encouraged in our society. So that youth would get a
wide range of selection in finding a suitable mate for marriage. It is the easiest mean for girls to get
out of the vicious circles of dowry system. Dowry practice is really unspiritual and devoid of ethical
values. It has polluted the Indian marital system. It has made a few young women to remain as
spinsters. It is high time that it must be stopped. However it is not easy task. We as the citizens of
India, marching towards the new millennium should strive for the discontinuation of this evil
practice. Social and moral consciousness of the people, education and economic independence of
women, encouragement of inter – caste and inter religion marriages effective enforcement of
legislation against dowry system, whole hearted work of various. Voluntary organization, civil
marriage, launching of the youth movements against the dowry system is some of the measures of
countering this practice. Eradication of dowry practice will create better and healthier society for all.
Authors’ Note
Below are the sites of different educational portals which I referred to while knowing what types of
courses they offer & two of them are news articles as dowry is the news.
1.https://learn.culturalindia.net/essay-dowry-system-india-causes-effects-solution.html
2.https://lighttheminds.com/causes-of-dowry-system-social-effects-and-how-to-stop/
3.https://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/society/dowry/dowry-system-in-india-problems-social-
dimensions-and-other-details/35175
4.https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/8-reasons-dowries-are-bad-for-women/
5.https://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/society/dowry/how-to-prevent-dowry-in-india-6-
suggestions/47643
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6.http://www.legalserviceindia.com/legal/article-1245-dowry-and-dowry-death.html
7.https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/bengaluru/2020/jan/17/17-dowry-cases-in-16-days-of-
new-year-2090576.html
8. https://www.shethepeople.tv/top-stories/opinion/dowry-deaths-reality-in-india-but-until-when/
Declaration of Conflicting Interests

The author declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or
publication of this article.
Funding
The author received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this
article.
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“DOWRY…MOTHER OF SOCIAL EVILS

Article · January 2022

Showkat Ahmad Dar Naseer Ahmad Lone

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Showkat Ahmad Dar

Dr.Naseer Ahmad Lone

Objectives of the study:

Greedy Groom families demand it:

Bride family wants to give it:

To build a reputation in society:

Ignorance of anti-dowry laws:

Problems and Effects of Dowry System:

Encourage to gender discrimination and female feticide:

Dowry a root of all evils:

Are There Any Advantages of the Dowry System?

Late Marriages Due to Dowry:

Dowries Keep Girls from Going to School

Dowries Maintain Gender Inequality

Dowries Lead to Infanticide

Dowries Keep Women from Economic Independence

Dowries Trap Poor People in Debt

Dowries Discriminate Against the Disabled

Why the Dowry System should be stopped?

How can We Stop Dowry System?

Types of Dowry crimes

Summary of solutions to the dowry system is as follow:

Declaration of Conflicting Interests

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