Udupi: National Women's Front (NWF) State unit president Shahida Aslam said here on Monday that the awareness in society regarding laws to eradicate the menace of dowry was required.
Ms. Aslam was delivering the keynote address at the district women's conference organised by the NWF as part of its public awareness campaign against dowry.
Ms. Aslam said that creating awareness was a continuous process. People should take a vow to see that no one in their families took dowry. Prevalence of dowry was more to with sexism in society. Although all religions discouraged dowry, it was still prevalent. Dowry had no barriers. Both the rich and the poor gave dowry. Money, which would have been used for productive purposes such as education of children, was saved to be given as dowry for marriages. Hence the education of children suffered. In some families, people ate less to save money for dowry and this impacted their health. Even after giving dowry, there was no guarantee for parents that their daughters would live happily.
Although the country had progressed, the mindset of people had not changed in the rural as well as urban areas. The birth of a girl child was still not liked by a large number of people. Hence the rate of female foeticide was high in rural and urban areas. Preference for sons had led to women having several abortions and consequently facing severe health problems. Honour killings, which were prominent in North India, had now surfaced in South India. Girls faced right from childhood.
Parents gave more importance to the education of boys. Even when women get employed, in some places they faced sexual harassment.
There was no proper protection of women working in night shifts. There was also discrimination in the wages paid to women. Zeenat Sadik, member of district NWF, welcomed the gathering.
Zareena Razak, president of district unit of NWF, presided over the function. Sub-inspector Kavita, president of Lions Club Jayasri Krishnaraj, secretary of Swabhimani Mahila Vedike Sharada, office-bearers of NWF Afroza Ali, and Nilofer Jafar Sadik were present.
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