DOWRY SYSTEM
The giving of gifts or money (otherwise known as a dowry) to a groom on behalf of the bride’s family is common practice in India, a marital tradition which dates back centuries. The dowry buys into people’s pride and desire to “save face” and the system (and exactly what is given) has substantial consequences for families and women in general. The financial restraints a dowry can place on a girl’s family coupled with the increasing abuse of the tradition on the part of the groom or his family has seen public perception of dowry giving change, with the government now stepping in to regulate its practice.
The giving of gifts or money (otherwise known as a dowry) to a groom on behalf of the bride’s family is common practice in India, a marital tradition which dates back centuries. The dowry buys into people’s pride and desire to “save face” and the system (and exactly what is given) has substantial consequences for families and women in general. The financial restraints a dowry can place on a girl’s family coupled with the increasing abuse of the tradition on the part of the groom or his family has seen public perception of dowry giving change, with the government now stepping in to regulate its practice.
DOWRY IN INDIA
In India, it has its roots in medieval times when a gift in cash or kind was given to a bride by her family to maintain her independence after marriage. The trend in present India, with its booming economy, is now encouraging ever-higher bride prices among all socioeconomic strata. But the rising bride price has brought with it an increase in violence against women.
CAUSES OF DOWRY SYSTEM
- It is a tradition
- Greedy Groom families demand it
- Bride family want to give it
- To build a reputation in society
- Illiteracy
- Ignorance of anti-dowry laws
There are a lot of causes of dowry system in our society but the main reasons are:
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
EFFECTS OF DOWRY SYSTEM
1. Short Term Effects of Dowry System – these effects of the dowry system are immediate and are a permanent fixture in the daily news.
a. 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.
b. Violence against women – contrary to hopeful parents, dowry is often not a one-time pay up. Demands are continuously made by the husband’s family who consider the girl’s family as a never ending source of finance. Inability by the girl’s family often leads to verbal abuse, domestic violence and even deaths. Brides being burned by the in-laws are hardly a novelty in this country. Continuous physical and mental torture instigates women to go into depression and commit suicide. 2016 figures indicate that in India, 20 women die every day due to dowry related issues.
c. 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.
d. 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.
2. Long Term Effects of Dowry System – the short term effects lead to the following long-term consequences
a. 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 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.
b. 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.
c. 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.
HOW TO PREVENT DOWRY
1. Down’ Prohibition Act 1961: the Government enacted Dowry Prohibition Act on 20th May 1961. 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.
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 person concerned does not do so he is liable to be punished for an imprisonment of 6 months and a fine of Rs.5000/-.
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.
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.
CONCLUSION
The dowry system, which started as a noble gesture, has now degenerated into something reprehensible, which cannot be encouraged, not at the cost of one’s daughter’s future. One can understand the need of the boy’s side to a certain extent if the girl’s side is in a position to help but the greed is totally unacceptable. let us remember that, and not send our daughters to the wolves; they are better off with us. And for that we must ensure quality education for them.
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