She Is the Mom, the Daughter, the Sister, and the Wife! Shield HER!
Concept of Dowry, Women Rights and Encouraging People to Celebrate Girl’s Birth
“Dowry” is a phenomenon deformed twice by the Indian Society
Concept of Dowry in ancient and modern perspective and what need to be done in future course
Marriage is an institution and you need financial support to start a new life
In India Marriages are all about numerous functions, rituals, gold and dowry. They want their marriage ceremonies to be remembered and when we observe all these customs very closely then we find a social tapestry attached to them. All these rituals are an attempt to welcome a new couple in the society of the already married people.
Dowry is a kind of financial support bestowed on the new couple by their extended families and social support system
During the 80’s India witnessed a lot of campaigns against the dowry. It became a source of permanent ransom for the family of groom. It was a kind of blackmailing that many families were doing under the guise of nuptial knot. All of that happened because of a deformity in the psychic of those demons. It was not dowry.
Dowry is as ancient as Indian epics are
When we read it in the ancient epics like “Ramayna” and “Mahabharta” then we will find that Indian society was emancipated for the contemporary women at that point of time. Dowry was also a part of that society; it was called “StreeDhan”. If we get in to the definition of “streedhan” as it is mentioned in an ancient social doctrine “Manu Samhita” then here they clearly stated that all the articles that a couple receives during the various ceremonies of marriage are a part of “streedhan” and the lady of the house is the rightful owner of this legacy.
Dowry is still there; still they consider it as the “StreeDhan” in Indian Society
Indian marriages in 21st century have restored the same “streedhan” back in honor. You may hear of many big marriages where they are still giving enormous gifts, media is covering them big time and setting new examples of lavishness. Here we are not advocating this practice. But what we are telling here is a simple fact that one has to see the concept of dowry in its original form. If your social support system wants to welcome you in the institution of marriage in a big way then this is their choice.
It’s not dowry but the allegations of the dowry ruled the last two decades of 20th century
But here we would like to mention one more thing. This thing is related to the dowry prohibition act, section 498 of IPC if we can put it more precisely. Some argues that section 498 has become a tool of harassment in the hands of some evil families. Now they are blackmailing the families of the grooms for their small demands. Marriage is a soft issue when we see it from a legal point of view. Disputes should be settled in a civil court because they are not criminals or habitual offenders, But this section 498 is a one sided rule now, in the past Indian courts have witnessed many cases where some girls deliberately forced false charges on the groom’s family and innocent families suffered the hell in Indian jails like a regular criminal. Now the time has come when we need to check out some repercussions of the corrective measures like the Section 498 of IPC.
Don’t Make Marriage a Lucrative Affair for Your Son!
Legal Tooth to Curb Some Social Evils
They are the entitlements and rights claimed for girls and women in our societies worldwide. They are institutionalized by law or local custom. They are as follows:
- Equal employment to men and women: Some argues that men and women are in some ways not equal and they cannot generate the same amount of income from the same nature of job. However, both are not equal but in nutshell what women can offer men can’t and what men can offer women can’t, therefore both complements one another, as a result both needs to be considered equal when it comes to employment and policy making process. Following arguments describes it further:
- Women have got huge amount of compassion, care and sincerity it doesn’t mean men hasn’t got these characteristics. But women’s instinct and behavior enhance care and compassion due to a number of reasons
- Men may be physically robust but mentally and emotionally women’s are hugely powerful. Therefore both becomes equal
- In business world if corporates believe and practice such philosophy then they can see significant positive changes in their business ethics and functioning in general. One example could be Jack Ma whose company alibaba.com has over 50% women all over the world, we hardly see any company having that much proportion of women workforce in India.
- Right to education: Debates and issues surrounding education create conflicts when the point of female education is discussed. Feminist movement has recently promoted the value of educating females but the discussion is still going on.
- Right of voting: Women’s suffrage known as the women’s right to stand and to vote in electoral office. Vanam Tejasvi says Women constitute almost half of the Indian’s human race which plays a vital role. Nation’s growth not only depends economically but on the women’s status also.
- Property Rights: They are inheritance rights which are enjoyed by the women as a part of society. The patterns vary from society to society and influenced by racial, political, legal and cultural factors. For the security of women’s status regarding property rights, succession act of Hindu in 1956 was passed.
All these rights, rules and regulations are in tandem with the social culture of our land and they are an attempt to drive back a big percentage of women in to the mainstay of the events.
Empowering Women Means Empowering Humanity
After observation in India, lots of districts have been seen with less girl children. “The hand which rocks cradle, tomorrow’s mother, the procreator, a woman who gives shape to the destiny a civilization has.”A wonderful creation, a girl child, today’s gravest concern humanity is facing.
Today the main aim is, making the world where every girl or women can exercise her choice like participation in politics, earning income, getting education and atmosphere free from discrimination and violence.
Policy to save girl child was introduced in 2013 for empowerment and security of adolescent and young girls. Minister of child development and Rajasthan women Bina Kak in her workshop said “This policy is accompanied by lots of schemes a state government has which encourages birth of girl child and ensure her empowerment”. Its main aim is to make their future bright.
Lad kumar Jain, a chairperson of state women’s commission said that girls’ financial empowerment will enhance her dignity in society and crimes will be reduced. She noticed that 187 girls were less against 1000 boys and if this condition prevails, it will be an alarming situation by 2021.
Our government is working so much to encourage the birth of girl child but still initiatives on an individual’s part is also important.
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