‘Daughters Against Dowry’ campaign launched
	13:19 IST

On the occasion of International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, the Ministry Women and Child Development launched here today a campaign 'Daughters against Dowry’ for bringing about a change in daughters' perspective. Expressing concern over the continuing cases of harassment of women due dowry, Smt. Krishna Tirath, the Minister for Women and Child Development said that law only can not help to get rid off the evil of dowry completely and civil society should also come forward in a big way to run a mass campaign to fight against this evil. She said that her Ministry has launched this campaign to involve the schools girls to inculcate the will to fight against dowry and to create a strong opinion against it. She informed that the Ministry plans to reach the schools under this campaign to sensitize the girls who would be encouraged to take a pledge to oppose the custom of dowry, in any form. It is expected that the daughters would also sensitize their parents about the issue. Addressing the participants, the Union Minister of Home Affairs Shri P. Chidambaram said that violence against women and girl child in a civilized society is totally unjustified and unacceptable. He said that informed and educated sections of the society should actively come forward and expose the evil completely and work towards wiping it out. He said that the society may itself evolve fresh ideas with regard to the institution of marriage to abolish dowry. He expressed the hope that younger generation, especially the girls would work to fight the evil of dowry and child marriage. . Around 500 girl students along with their teachers were sensitized on various aspects of the Dowry Prohibition Act: Issues and Challenges on the occasion. It was followed with A National seminar "Implementation of Dowry Prohibition Act”. Four break-out sessions to have a threadbare discussion on various aspects of the Dowry Prohibition Act like- existing legal framework on dowry and its strengthening, social awareness generation, advocacy and media, medical treatment and care and rehabilitation of dowry victims were held. Experts from various walks of life participated in sessions. On the occasion, the Minister of Women & Child Development also released a booklet on the prohibition of child marriage. It provides information on the provision of the Act and enlists the responsibility of various stakeholders in a simple and user-friendly manner. ************* NCJ