India's Women And Child Development Ministry Launching Evils Of Dowry Awareness Campaign

November 24, 2009 7:22 a.m. EST

New Delhi, India (AHN) - A new campaign, aimed at eliminating the evils of dowry will be launched soon in India. The Ministry of Women and Child Development is observing International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women on Wednesday and on the same day will launch a campaign to create awareness about dowry.

The 'Daughters against Dowry' campaign will aim at influencing a daughters' perspective.

The campaign will involve sensitizing around 500 girl students from different schools in Delhi along with their teachers on various aspects of the Dowry Prohibition Act, its issues and challenges.

There will also be discussions on various aspects of the Dowry Prohibition Act. Experts from different field will participate in discussions on various topics. Those topics include the existing legal framework on dowry and how to strengthen it further, social awareness generation, advocacy and media, medical treatment and care and rehabilitation of dowry victims.

A seminar will also be organized on the "Implementation of Dowry Prohibition Act."

Neeva Konwar, member of the National Commission for Women (NCW) told AHN, "We welcome the initiative. A campaign like this is the need of the hour. It will create a much needed awareness about the issue."

The Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961 prohibits the request, payment or acceptance of a dowry as a precondition for marriage. If one is found accepting or paying dowry, he can be punished by an imprisonment or a fine of up to Rs. 15000 ($333) or the amount of dowry whichever is higher.