The dowry system in India involves the bride's family providing gifts, cash, and property to the groom's family as a marriage condition, leading to societal issues like domestic violence, financial burdens, and gender discrimination. Despite existing anti-dowry laws, cultural traditions and misinformation contribute to the system's persistence, with individuals often forced into dowry arrangements to maintain societal reputation. Advocacy for awareness and education is essential to combat this practice and promote self-sufficiency among women.

1. Indian Social Problems
Dowry System

2. Indian Social Problems
Dowry System

3. • NEET SERIES – 7.00AM
• LAW SERIES – 12.00PM
• INDIAN POLITY SERIES – 5.00PM
• APTITUDE SERIES – 8.30PM

4. DOWRY SYSTEM
The dowry system in India refers to the durable goods, cash, and real or
movable property that the bride's family gives to the groom, his parents and
his relatives as a condition of the marriage. Dowry is essentially in the
nature of a payment in cash or some kind of gifts given to the groom’s
family along with the bride and includes cash, jewellery, electrical appliances,
furniture, bedding, crockery, utensils, vehicles and other household items
that help the newlyweds set up their home. Dowry system is a tradition that
does not belong to a single country, it is in all over the world.

5. MEANING OF DOWRY SYSTEM
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.

6. CAUSES OF DOWRY SYSTEM
• It is a tradition
• Illiteracy
• Greedy Groom families demand it
• Bride family want to give it
• To build a reputation in society
• Ignorance of anti-dowry laws

7. 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.

8. 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.

9. 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.

10. BRIDE FAMILY WANT 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.

11. 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.

12. 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.

13. PROBLEMS AND EFFECTS
OF DOWRY SYSTEM
The following are problems pertaining to marriage and family dowry which are
effecting our society seriously. So look at the effects of the dowry system on
our women’s life.
• Domestic violence against women
• Financial burden
• Waste of money
• Encourage to gender discrimination and female foeticide

14. 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.

15. 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.

16. Waste of money
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.

17. Encourage to gender discrimination and
female foeticide
Why always bride parents have to give dowry, groom family why
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
foeticide due to gender inequality and most families can’t afford
wedding expenses.

18. TYPES OF DOWRY CRIMES
• Fraud
• Cruelty
• Domestic violence
• Abetment to suicide
• Dowry murder

19. TYPES OF DOWRY CRIMES
• Fraud
• Cruelty
• Domestic violence
• Abetment to suicide
• Dowry murder

20. Laws against Dowry in India
Indian law is strictly against the demand of dowry and
there are certain anti-dowry laws in India that are enacted
to eradicate this evil from our country.

21. Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961:
The first-ever law made by Indian legislation against the dowry-related cases
was the Dowry Protection Act, 1961 initially which is passed in some states.
This act states that the one who gives or takes dowry is punishable under
Indian law. Moreover, one who abets to give or take dowry is also guilty under
this act. This act provides punishment of a minimum five years of jail and a
fine of Rs.15000/- or to the amount of the dowry received whichever is higher
to them who found guilty. In dowry cases, the burden of proof lies on the
accused party and not on the victim party. An agreement that is related to
dowry is void ab initio.

22. Indian Penal Code, 1860:
Section 304B of Indian Penal Code,1860 states that dowry is a criminal
offense which includes the punishment of a minimum of 7 years of jail and the
maximum limit is life imprisonment. If it is found that the death of the women
is happened due to the burn or any bodily injury within 7 years of their
marriage and there is a proof of cruelty and harassment by the family before
her death then the husband and his family are liable for the death of that
woman.

23. • The law also protects women from cruelty and harassment under section
498A of the Indian Penal Code which is added in 1983 by the amendment,
but if someone only demand for dowry and not being cruel to the bride
then, in that case, he is liable only for dowry demand and not for cruelty.
• But unfortunately, some females with a wicked mentality has started using
this legal remedy as a weapon instead of using it against any kind of cruelty.
Therefore a dire need to aware of the public and some strict laws regarding
the use and misuse of Section 498A of IPC.

24. CASE LAW
Amar Singh v. the State of Rajasthan,2010
In this case, it was held by the honorable Supreme court
that just demanding dowry is not a case of cruelty against
any women.

25. Protection of Women from Domestic
Violence Act, 2005
This act is enacted just to protect women from domestic
violence. The main purpose of this act is to provide civil
law remedy to the victims of cruelty or harassment which
could be physically, mentally, emotionally or sexually.

26. 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.

27. 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.

28. Say ‘No’ to those greedy grooms.
Yes, stay away and don’t make any relation with those
greedy people who 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.

29. 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.

30. CONCLUSION
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.

31. Thank You!!