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{{Short description|Female homicide to extort more dowry}}
{{Related|[[Dowry]]}}
{{context|date=June 2018}}
{{Violence against women}}
{{Masculism sidebar}}
'''Dowry deaths''' are deaths of married women who are [[murder]]ed or driven to [[suicide]] over disputes about [[dowry]]. Dowry deaths are found predominantly in India,<ref name=india/> Pakistan,<ref>[http://www.humanrights.asia/news/ahrc-news/AHRC-ART-003-2014 PAKISTAN: The social injustice behind the practice of dowry-when greed dictates society] Asian Human Rights Commission (2014)</ref> Bangladesh, and Iran. For context, dowry are the material exchange that the brides give the groom's side in the course of a wedding.<ref name=UNBangladeshDowry/><ref name=iranpbs>. Around 87,000 women were killed around the world last year and some 50,000 – or 58 per cent – were killed at the hands of intimate partners or family members. This amounts to some six women being killed every hour by people they know, according to new research published by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
[https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/tehranbureau/2010/08/selected-headlines-202.html Isfahan man kills daughter over inability to pay dowry] Public Broadcasting Service, Washington DC (August 16, 2010)</ref><ref name="Kiani 2014">Kiani et al. (2014), A Survey on Spousal Abuse of 500 Victims in Iran, American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology, 35(1):50–54, March 2014</ref>


India reports the highest total number of dowry deaths with 8,391 such deaths reported in 2010, meaning there are 1.4 deaths per 100,000 women. Female dowry deaths account for 40 to 50 percent of all female homicides recorded annually in India, representing a stable trend over the period 1999 to 2016.<ref>{{cite web |title=Dowry Deaths Make Significant Share Of Female Killings In India: Report |url=https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/dowry-deaths-make-significant-share-of-female-killings-in-india-report-1954056 |website=NDTV |access-date=8 March 2019}}</ref> Pakistan is predicted to have nearly 2000 dowry deaths occur every year.<ref>Subhani, D., Imtiaz, M., & Afza, S. (2009), To estimate an equation explaining the determinants of Dowry, MePRC Journal, University of Munich, Germany</ref><ref>Anderson, Siwan (2000), "The economics of dowry payments in Pakistan", ''Mimeo'', Tilburg University Press, Center for Economic Research</ref>
Dowry deaths are the deaths caused to young women, where the woman is murdered or driven to suicide by continuous harassment for dowry by her husband and in-laws. [[Dowry]] deaths are reported in various south asian countries like India, Pakistan, Bangladesh etc. Dowry originated in India as gifts given to the bride by upper caste rich families. Dowry death is considered as one of the many categories of violence against women(VAW) in south asia.


==India==
==Dowry Deaths in South Asia ==
{{Further|Dowry system in India}}Dowry deaths relate to a bride's suicide or killing committed by her husband and his family soon after the marriage because of their dissatisfaction with the dowry. It is typically the culmination of a series of prior domestic abuses by the husband's family.<ref>Jane Rudd, "Dowry-murder: An example of violence against women." ''Women's studies international forum'' 24#5 (2001).</ref><ref>Meghana Shah, "Rights under fire: The inadequacy of international human rights instruments in combating dowry murder in India." ''Connecticut Journal of International Law'' 19 (2003): 209+.</ref> Most dowry deaths occur when the young woman, unable to bear the harassment and torture, dies by suicide. Most of these suicides are by hanging, poisoning or by fire. Sometimes the woman is killed by being set on fire by her husband or inlaws; this is known as "[[bride burning]]", and is sometimes disguised as suicide or accident. Death by burning of Indian women has been more frequently attributed to dowry conflicts.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Kumar|first=Virendra|title=Burnt wives|journal=Burns|date=Feb 2003|volume=29|issue=1|pages=31–36|doi=10.1016/s0305-4179(02)00235-8|pmid=12543042}}</ref> In dowry deaths, the groom's family is the perpetrator of murder or suicide.<ref>Oldenburg, V. T. (2002). Dowry murder: The imperial origins of a cultural crime. Oxford University Press.</ref>
===In India===


India has by far the highest number of dowry-related deaths in the world according to Indian National Crime Record Bureau. In 2012, 8,233 dowry death cases were reported across India.<ref name=india>{{cite web
Indian national crime bureau reports that there are about 6787 dowry death cases registered in India in year 2005. These deaths are due to murders or suicides. Some of these murders for dowry are carried out by burning woman by her husband and in-laws. This is termed as "[[bride burning]]". But, most of the dowry deaths occur when the young women commit suicide, being
|url=http://ncrb.nic.in/CD-CII2012/Statistics2012.pdf
unable to bear the harassment and abuse for not bringing more dowry from their parents. Incidents of Dowry Deaths during the year 2005 (6,787) have increased significantly by 46.0 per cent over 1995 level (4,648). However, the increase was marginal (0.1%) over quinquennial average of 2000-2004 and there was a decline by 3.4 per cent (7,026) compared to year 2005.
|title=National Crime Statistics (page 196)
|publisher=National Crime Records Bureau, India
|date=2013-01-16
|access-date=2015-01-02
|url-status=dead
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140620023952/http://ncrb.nic.in/CD-CII2012/Statistics2012.pdf
|archive-date=2014-06-20
}}</ref> Dowry issues cause 1.4 deaths per year per 100,000 women in India.<ref>[http://censusindia.gov.in/2011census/censusinfodashboard/index.html Provisional 2011 Census Data], Government of India (2011)</ref><ref name=crimeindia2011>[http://ncrb.nic.in/CD-CII2011/Statistics2011.pdf Crime statistics in India] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130129164006/http://ncrb.nic.in/CD-CII2011/Statistics2011.pdf |date=January 29, 2013 }}, Government of India (2011)</ref><ref>http://ncrb.nic.in/CD-CII2011/Statistics2011.pdf Crime statistics in India {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130129164006/http://ncrb.nic.in/CD-CII2011/Statistics2011.pdf |date=January 29, 2013 }}, Government of India (2011)</ref>


According to a 1996 report by [[Indian Police Service|Indian police]], every year it receives over 2,500 reports of bride-burning.<ref>[http://www.cnn.com/WORLD/9608/18/bride.burn/ Bride-burning claims hundreds in India: Practice sometimes disguised as suicide or accident] ''[[CNN]]'', August 18, 1996.</ref> The Indian National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) reports that there were 8,331 dowry death cases registered in India in 2011.<ref name=india/> Incidents of dowry deaths during the year 2008 (8,172) have increased by 14.4 per cent over the 1998 level (7,146),<ref>[http://ncrb.nic.in/cii2008/Statistics2008.pdf&Page=17 Point No.17, Dowry Deaths] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110628215223/http://ncrb.nic.in/cii2008/Statistics2008.pdf |date=2011-06-28 }}</ref> while India's population grew at 17.6% over the 10-year period.<ref>[http://censusindia.gov.in/PopulationFinder/Population_Finder.aspx Decadal Growth Rates in India] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131005084213/http://censusindia.gov.in/PopulationFinder/Population_Finder.aspx |date=2013-10-05 }} Census of India, Government of India, New Delhi (2012)</ref> The accuracy of these figures have received a great deal of scrutiny from critics who believe dowry deaths are consistently under-reported.<ref>{{cite web|last=Caleekal|first=Anuppa|title=Dowry Death|url=http://digitalism.org/artdoc/ddeath.html|access-date=2012-01-05}}</ref>
== Activism ==


Dowry deaths in India are not limited to any specific religion.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/special-report/story/19880630-dowry-related-deaths-break-religious-caste-geographical-barriers-797424-1988-06-30|title=Dowry-related deaths break religious, caste and geographical barriers|date=June 30, 1988|first=David|last=Devadas|website=India Today|language=en|access-date=2019-02-12}}</ref>
Indian women's rights activists campaigned for more than 40 years to contain dowry deaths without much success. The Dowry Prohibition Act 1961 and the more stringent Section 498a of IPC (enacted in 1983) did not achieve the desired result. Under he recently enacted protection of women against domestic violence act (PWDVA), demand of a woman can put the stop to dowry harassment by approaching a domestic violence protection officer. Due to demands by women's activists the Indian government recently made daughters get equal rights to inherit the ancestral property of their parents. Some religious groups have urged the people to curb the extravagant spendings during the marriages as well.


===Prohibition===
==Anti-dowry laws in India==
The ''[[Dowry Prohibition Act]]'' of 1961 prohibits the request, payment or acceptance of a dowry, "as consideration for the marriage", where "dowry" is defined as a gift demanded or given as a precondition for a marriage. Gifts given without a precondition are not considered dowry, and are legal. Asking or giving of dowry can be punished by an imprisonment of up to six months, or a fine of up to {{INRConvert|5000|to=USD GBP AUD}}. It replaced several pieces of anti-dowry legislation that had been enacted by various Indian states.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://indiacode.nic.in/rsPaging.asp?tfnm=196128&Page=1|title=Section 1-4, Dowry Act|website=indiacode.nic.in|access-date=10 April 2018}}</ref> Murder and suicide under compulsion are addressed by India's criminal penal code.


Indian women's rights activists campaigned for more than 40 years for laws to contain dowry deaths, such as the ''Dowry Prohibition Act'' 1961 and the more stringent [[Dowry law in India#IPC Section 498A|Section 498a of Indian Penal Code]] (enacted in 1983). Under the ''[[Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act 2005]]'' (PWDVA), a woman can put a stop to the dowry harassment by approaching a domestic violence protection officer. After conducting field research, [[Shalu Nigam]] questioned the effectiveness of these laws, writing, "courts frequently ended up offering them compulsory counseling, which entails undesired results and narrow options," and noting "Laws could neither address the immediate needs of victims nor could offer practical remedies in terms of medical aid, short-stay homes, creche facilities, psychological support, shelter homes or economic or material assistance to the women which they need the most."<ref name="Nigam 2020">{{cite book |last1=Nigam |first1=Shalu |title=Women and Domestic Violence Law in India: A Quest for Justice |date=2020 |publisher=Routledge |location=London |isbn=978-1-138-36614-5 |pages=1–2 |url=https://www.academia.edu/49357692 |access-date=30 July 2021}}</ref>
Please see, [[Dowry law in India]]


Although Indian laws against dowries have been in effect for decades, they have been largely criticised as being ineffective.<ref>{{Cite journal|title = Practical Steps towards Eliminating Dowry and Bride-Burning in India|last = Manchandia|first = Purna|journal = Tul. J. Int'l & Comp. L. |volume=13 |pages=305–319 |year=2005}}</ref> The practice of dowry deaths and murders continues to take place unchecked in many parts of India and this has further added to the concerns of enforcement.<ref>{{Cite journal|title = A "Lesser" Crime: A Comparative Study of Legal Defenses for Men Who Kill Their Wives|last = Spatz|first = Melissa|journal = Colum. J. L. & Soc. Probs. |volume=24 |pages=597, 612 |date=1991 }}</ref>
== References ==
{{reflist}}


==Pakistan==
In Pakistan, the giving and expectation of a dowry (called ''Jahez'') is part of the culture, with over 95% of marriages in every region of Pakistan involving transfer of a dowry from the bride's family to a groom's family.<ref>[http://www.popcouncil.org/pdfs/ayp0102.pdf Zeba Sathar, Cynthia Lloyd, et al. (2001–2002) "Adolescents and Youth in Pakistan"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140312003405/http://www.popcouncil.org/pdfs/ayp0102.pdf |date=2014-03-12 }} pp.92–116, Population Council (with support from UNICEF)</ref>


Dowry deaths have been rising in Pakistan for decades.<ref>Yasmeen, S. (1999) "Islamisation and democratisation in Pakistan: Implications for women and religious minorities", ''South Asia Journal of South Asian Studies'' 22(s1), pages 183–195 {{doi|10.1080/00856408708723381}}</ref><ref>[http://pide.org.pk/pdr/index.php/pdr/article/viewFile/1235/1208 Ibraz, T. S., Fatima, A., & Aziz, N. (1993) "Uneducated and Unhealthy: The Plight of Women in Pakistan"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141107213644/http://pide.org.pk/pdr/index.php/pdr/article/viewFile/1235/1208 |date=2014-11-07 }} [with Comments], ''The Pakistan Development Review'' Vol.32 No.4 pp.905–915</ref><ref>{{cite journal | pmc = 1414670 | pmid=16633458 | volume=3 | issue=1 | title=Women's mental health in Pakistan | journal=World Psychiatry | pages=60–2 | last1 = Niaz | first1 = U| year=2004 }}</ref> Dowry-related violence and deaths have been widespread since Pakistan became an independent nation.<ref>[http://ro.uow.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1042&context=hbspapers Hussain, R. (1999) "Community perceptions of reasons for preference for consanguineous marriages in Pakistan"], ''Journal of Biosocial Science'' Vol.31 No.4 pp.449–461</ref><ref>{{cite journal | url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/347333 | jstor=347333 | doi=10.2307/347333 | title=Attitudes of Pakistani Students toward Family Life | last1=Shah | first1=Khalida | journal=Marriage and Family Living | date=1960 | volume=22 | issue=2 | pages=156–161 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/41601392 | jstor=41601392 | title=Age and Social State at Marriage, Karachi, Pakistan 1961-64 and 1980: A Comparative Study | last1=Korson | first1=J. Henry | last2=Sabzwari | first2=M. A. | journal=Journal of Comparative Family Studies | date=1984 | volume=15 | issue=2 | pages=257–279 | doi=10.3138/jcfs.15.2.257 }}</ref> Pakistan is predicted to have nearly 2,000 dowry-related deaths per year.<ref>[http://www.refworld.org/pdfid/4e4213da2.pdf Operational Note: Pakistan] Refworld, A United Nations initiative (August 2011), see pages 16–21</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/21365/|title=To estimate an equation explaining the determinants of Dowry|first1=Subhani, Muhammad|last1=Imtiaz|first2=Afza|last2=Sarwat|date=10 April 2018|website=mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de|access-date=10 April 2018}}</ref>
== See also ==
* [[Female infanticide]]
* [[Dowry]]


There is some controversy on the dowry death rates in Pakistan. Some publications suggest Pakistan officials do not record dowry deaths, and that the death rates are culturally under-reported and may be significantly higher.{{Cn|date=October 2024}} For example, Nasrullah reports total average annual stove burn rates of 33 per 100,000 women in Pakistan, of which 49% were intentional, or an average annual rate of about 16 per 100,000 women.<ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Nasrullah | last2 = Muazzam | year = 2010 | title = Newspaper reports: a source of surveillance for burns among women in Pakistan | journal = Journal of Public Health | volume = 32 | issue = 2| pages = 245–249 | doi = 10.1093/pubmed/fdp102| pmid = 19892782| doi-access = free }}</ref><ref>[http://womensenews.org/story/domestic-violence/021027/pakistans-fiery-shame-women-die-stove-deaths Juliette Terzieff (October 27, 2002) "Pakistan's Fiery Shame: Women Die in Stove Deaths"] ''[[WeNews]]'', New York</ref><ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Miller | first1 = B. D. | year = 1984 | title = Daughter neglect, women's work, and marriage: Pakistan and Bangladesh compared"] | journal = Medical Anthropology | volume = 8 | issue = 2| pages = 109–126 | doi = 10.1080/01459740.1984.9965895 | pmid = 6536850 }}</ref>
== External links ==


Pakistan's ''Dowry and Marriage Gifts (Restriction) Bill'', 2008, restricts dowry to PKR 30,000 (~US$300) while the total value of bridal gifts is limited to PKR 50,000.<ref>[https://www.nation.com.pk/09-Jun-2013/done-to-a-daughter-over-dowry Ashraf Javed (June 9, 2013) "Done to a daughter over dowry"], ''The Nation'' (Pakistan)</ref> The law made demands for a dowry by the groom's family illegal, as well as public display of dowry before or during the wedding. However, this and similar anti-dowry laws of 1967, 1976 and 1998, as well as ''Family Court Act'' of 1964 have proven to be unenforceable. Activists such as SACHET, Pakistan claim the police refuse to register and prosecute allegations of dowry-related domestic violence and fatal injuries.<ref name="sachet">[http://www.sachet.org.pk/web/page.asp?id=293 (2006) Fight Against Dowry] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141108002609/http://www.sachet.org.pk/web/page.asp?id=293|date=November 8, 2014}}, SACHET (Pakistan); also see Dr. A.Q. Khan's July 2003 foreword on widespread Dowry problems to the Prime Minister of Pakistan</ref>
* [http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/egm/vaw-gp-2005/docs/experts/kishwar.dowry.pdf - Article by women's activist Madhu Kishwar]


==Bangladesh==
* [http://ncrb.nic.in/crime2005/cii-2005/CHAP3.pdf - Indian National Crime Bureau Data on Dowry Deaths.]


In Bangladesh, dowry is called ''joutuk'' (Bengali: যৌতুক), and a significant cause of deaths as well. Between 0.6 and 2.8 brides per year per 100,000 women are reported to die because of dowry-related violence in recent years.<ref>Shahnaz Huda (2006), [http://sar.sagepub.com/content/26/3/249.short Dowry in Bangladesh: Compromizing<!--sic--> Women's Rights] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150426235719/http://sar.sagepub.com/content/26/3/249.short |date=2015-04-26 }}, South Asia Research, November vol. 26 no. 3, pages 249–268</ref><ref>[http://www.dhakacourier.com.bd/?p=4592 Women's Safety: Ghosts on the Prowl] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141109202405/http://www.dhakacourier.com.bd/?p=4592 |date=November 9, 2014 }} Mahfuzur Rahman, Dhaka Courier, January 26, 2012</ref> The methods of death include suicides, fire and other forms of domestic violence. In 2013, Bangladesh reported 4,470 women were victims of dowry-related violence over a 10-month period, or dowry violence victimized about 7.2 brides per year per 100,000 women in Bangladesh.<ref name=UNBangladeshDowry>UN Women, [http://www.unwomen.org/~/media/Headquarters/Attachments/Sections/CSW/59/National_reviews/Bangladesh_review_Beijing20.pdf Bangladesh Report 2014 – Annexes]{{Dead link|date=March 2022 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} United Nations (May 2014), Table 6 page xiii</ref>
* [http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Nagpur/Dowry_whiff_in_death_of_two_women/articleshow/2324944.cms - Death of two women due to dowry demands]


==Iran==
Dowry is an ancient custom of Persia, and locally called ''jahâz'' (sometimes spelled ''jahiziyeh'').<ref>[http://dsalsrv02.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/philologic/contextualize.pl?p.2.steingass.125920 Steingass Persian-English] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170324105426/http://dsalsrv02.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/philologic/contextualize.pl?p.2.steingass.125920 |date=2017-03-24 }}, University of Chicago, See explanation for Jahiz</ref><ref>[http://www.aryanpour.com/ Persian English Dictionary] see Dowry</ref> Dowry-related violence and deaths in Iran are reported in Iranian newspapers, some of which appear in English media.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20141109181720/http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/tehranbureau/2010/08/selected-headlines-202.html Isfahan man kills daughter over inability to pay dowry] Public Broadcasting Service, Washington DC (August 16, 2010)</ref> Kiani et al., in a 2014 study, report dowry deaths in Iran.<ref name="Kiani 2014"/> Iranian director [[Maryam Zahirimehr]]'s 2018 film "Endless?" addresses trauma related to a dowry death in Iran.<ref>{{cite web|last=King|first=Loren|title=Boston Globe Summiting Provincetown to address sexual harassment, racism, and pay disparity in the entertainment industry|website=[[The Boston Globe]] |url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/arts/movies/2018/03/29/summiting-provincetown-address-sexual-harassment-racism-and-pay-disparity-entertainment-industry/PmMebW1XQFZKrsmrpifmsL/story.html|access-date=21 January 2019|date=29 March 2018}}</ref>


==International efforts at eradication==
Reports of incidents of dowry deaths have attracted public interest and sparked a global activist movement seeking to end the practice. Of this activist community, the [[United Nations]] (UN) has played a pivotal role in combating violence against women, including dowry deaths.

===United Nations===
The United Nations has been an advocate for women's rights since its inception in 1945, explicitly stating so in its Charter's Preamble,<ref>{{cite web|title=Charter of the United Nations: Preamble |url=https://www.un.org/en/documents/charter/preamble.shtml |publisher=United Nations |access-date=2012-09-04 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121005192604/http://www.un.org/en/documents/charter/preamble.shtml |archive-date=2012-10-05 }}</ref> the [[Universal Declaration of Human Rights]]<ref>{{cite web|title=The Universal Declaration of Human Rights|url=https://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr|publisher=United Nations|access-date=2012-09-04}}</ref> (adopted in 1948), the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights<ref>{{cite web|title=International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights|url=http://www2.ohchr.org/english/law/ccpr.html|publisher=Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights|access-date=2012-09-04}}{{dead link|date=September 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> (adopted in 1966), the [[International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights]]<ref>{{cite web|title=International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights |url=http://www2.ohchr.org/english/law/cescr.htm |publisher=Office of the United Nations High Commissioner on Human Rights |access-date=2012-09-04 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120303114220/http://www2.ohchr.org/english/law/cescr.htm |archive-date=2012-03-03 }}</ref> (also adopted in 1966) (these three documents are known collectively as the [[International Bill of Rights]]<ref>{{cite web|title=International Law|url=http://www2.ohchr.org/english/law|publisher=Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights|access-date=2012-09-04}}</ref>) and the [[Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women]] (CEDAW)<ref>{{cite web|title=Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women|url=https://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/cedaw/text/econvention.htm|publisher=United Nations|access-date=2012-09-04}}</ref> (2012).

The [[United Nations Children's Fund]] (UNICEF), though predominately focused on improving the quality of education available to children globally, has also taken a proactive stance against dowry death. On March 9 ([[International Women's Day]]), 2009, at a press conference in Washington D.C., UNICEF's Executive Director, Ann M. Veneman, publicly condemned dowry deaths and the legislative systems which allow the culprits to go unpunished.<ref>{{cite web|title=Statement of UNICEF Executive Director Ann M. Veneman on International Women's Day|url=http://www.unicef.org/media/media_35134.html|publisher=UNICEF|access-date=2012-09-04|archive-date=2012-05-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120510065353/http://www.unicef.org/media/media_35134.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> In 2009, UNICEF launched its first Strategic Priority Action Plan for Gender Equality, which was followed by a second Action Plan in 2010. The aim of these plans has been to make gender equality a higher priority within all international UNICEF programs and functions.<ref>{{cite web|title=UNICEF Strategic Priority Action Plan for Gender Equality: 2010–2012|publisher=UNICEF|url=https://www.unicef.org/gender/files/Strategic_Priority_Action_Plan_for_Gender_Equality_2010-2012.pdf|access-date=2019-03-09|archive-date=2015-09-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150910041659/http://www.unicef.org/gender/files/Strategic_Priority_Action_Plan_for_Gender_Equality_2010-2012.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>

===Private organizations===
[[Amnesty International]], in an effort to educate the public, has cited dowry deaths as a major contributor to global violence against women.<ref>{{cite web|title=Violence Against Women Information|url=http://www.amnestyusa.org/our-work/issues/women-s-rights/violence-against-women/violence-against-women-information|publisher=Amnesty International|access-date=2012-09-04}}</ref> Also, in their annual human rights evaluations, Amnesty International criticizes India for the occurrences of dowry deaths as well as the impunity provided to its perpetrators.<ref>{{cite web|title=India|url=https://www.amnesty.org/en/region/india|publisher=Amnesty International|access-date=2012-09-04|archive-date=2012-09-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120910222438/https://www.amnesty.org/en/region/india|url-status=dead}}</ref>

[[Human Rights Watch]] has also criticized the Indian government for its inability to make any progress towards eliminating dowry deaths and its lackluster performance for bringing its perpetrators to justice in 2011.<ref>{{cite web|title=India: Disappointing Year for Human Rights|url=https://www.hrw.org/news/2012/01/23/india-disappoint-year-human-rights|work=2012-09-04|publisher=Human Rights Watch|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141108100328/http://www.hrw.org/news/2012/01/23/india-disappoint-year-human-rights|archive-date=2014-11-08}}</ref> In 2004, the Global Fund for Women launched its "Now or Never" funding project. This campaign hopes to raise funds domestically and consequently finance the efforts of feminist organizations across the globe – including Indian women's rights activists. {{as of|2007}} the Now or Never fund has raised and distributed about $7 million.<ref>{{cite web|title=Her Majesty Queen Noor and Nancy Pelosi Join GFW to Announce Endowment for the World's Women|url=http://www.globalfundforwomen.org/impact/media-center/news-releases/45/157|publisher=Global Fund For Women|access-date=2012-09-04|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141108092436/http://www.globalfundforwomen.org/impact/media-center/news-releases/45/157|archive-date=2014-11-08}}</ref>

A relatively smaller organization, V-Day, has dedicated itself to ending violence against women. By arranging events such as plays, art shows, and workshops in communities and college campuses across the United States, V-Day raises funds and educates the public on topics of gender-based violence including dowry death.<ref>{{cite web|title=Dowry Deaths & Bride Burning|url=http://www.vday.org/bride+death|publisher=V-Day|access-date=2012-09-04|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130603074440/http://www.vday.org/bride+death|archive-date=2013-06-03}}</ref> Full-length plays on dowry deaths include 'The Bride Who Would Not Burn'<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=urRejbq8dbs|title=YouTube|website=www.youtube.com|access-date=10 April 2018}}{{cbignore}}{{Dead YouTube link|date=February 2022}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Bride burning]]
* [[Domestic violence in India]]
* [[Dowry system in India]]
* [[Kerala snakebite murder]]

==References==
{{reflist|3}}

==Further reading==
* ''Dowry Murder: The Imperial Origins of a Cultural Crime'', by Veena Talwar Oldenburg. Published by Oxford University Press, 2002.
* ''Dowry and Protection to Married Women'', by Paras Diwan, Peeyushi Diwan. Published by Deep & Deep Publications, 1987.
* ''Crime in Marriages, a Broad Spectrum'', by Poornima Advani. Published by Gopushi Publishers, 1994.
* ''Encyclopaedia of violence against women and dowry death in India'', by Kalpana Roy. Published by Anmol Publications PVT. LTD., 1999. {{ISBN|81-261-0343-4}}.
* ''Dowry Death in India'', by Geetanjali Mukherjee. Published by Indian Publishers Distributors, 1999. {{ISBN|81-7341-091-7}}.
* ''Dowry Death'', by Kamakshya Prasad, Jawaid Ahmad Khan, Hari Nath Upadhyaya. Published by Modern Law Publications, 2000. {{ISBN|81-87629-04-5}}.
* ''Women in South Asia: Dowry Death and Human Rights Violations'', by Pramod Kumar Mishra. Published by Authorspress, 2000. {{ISBN|81-7273-039-X}}.
* ''Dowry murder: the imperial origins of a cultural crime'', by Veena Talwar Oldenburg. Published by Oxford University Press US, 2002. {{ISBN|0-19-515071-6}}.
* ''Death by Fire: Sati, Dowry, Death, and Female Infanticide in Modern India'', by Mala Sen. Published by Rutgers University Press, 2002. {{ISBN|0-8135-3102-0}}.

==External links==
* [https://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/egm/vaw-gp-2005/docs/experts/kishwar.dowry.pdf Article by women's activist Madhu Kishwar]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20071006005130/http://ncrb.nic.in/crime2005/cii-2005/CHAP3.pdf Indian National Crime Bureau Data on Dowry Deaths]
* [http://www.indiatime.com/category/dowry/ Indian newspaper articles on Dowry Deaths]
* [http://ncw.nic.in – National Commission for Women, (NCW) India]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20121018060558/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2007-08-31/nagpur/27979449_1_dowry-jewellery-shop-girl Death of two women due to dowry demands]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20080706182022/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article2163488.ece Leaders of community call for an end to lavish wedding celebrations]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20061201110803/http://www.weeklystandard.com/Content/Public/Articles/000/000/013/015sjlle.asp Dowry Disgrace and Suicides]
* [http://www.tribuneindia.com/2007/20070528/main4.htm Most dowry victims in State of Punjab(India) are poisoned]

{{Social issues in India}}
{{Violence against women/end}}
{{Masculinism}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dowry Death}}
[[Category:Domestic violence]]
[[Category:Domestic violence]]
[[Category:Marriage]]
[[Category:Femicide]]
[[Category:Crime in India]]
[[Category:Violence against women in India]]
[[Category:Violence against women]]
[[Category:Women's rights in India]]
[[Category:Women's rights in Asia]]
[[Category:Marriage in India]]
[[Category:Causes of death]]

Latest revision as of 11:20, 19 October 2024

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Dowry deaths are deaths of married women who are murdered or driven to suicide over disputes about dowry. Dowry deaths are found predominantly in India,[1] Pakistan,[2] Bangladesh, and Iran. For context, dowry are the material exchange that the brides give the groom's side in the course of a wedding.[3][4][5]

India reports the highest total number of dowry deaths with 8,391 such deaths reported in 2010, meaning there are 1.4 deaths per 100,000 women. Female dowry deaths account for 40 to 50 percent of all female homicides recorded annually in India, representing a stable trend over the period 1999 to 2016.[6] Pakistan is predicted to have nearly 2000 dowry deaths occur every year.[7][8]

India

[edit]
Further information: Dowry system in India

Dowry deaths relate to a bride's suicide or killing committed by her husband and his family soon after the marriage because of their dissatisfaction with the dowry. It is typically the culmination of a series of prior domestic abuses by the husband's family.[9][10] Most dowry deaths occur when the young woman, unable to bear the harassment and torture, dies by suicide. Most of these suicides are by hanging, poisoning or by fire. Sometimes the woman is killed by being set on fire by her husband or inlaws; this is known as "bride burning", and is sometimes disguised as suicide or accident. Death by burning of Indian women has been more frequently attributed to dowry conflicts.[11] In dowry deaths, the groom's family is the perpetrator of murder or suicide.[12]

India has by far the highest number of dowry-related deaths in the world according to Indian National Crime Record Bureau. In 2012, 8,233 dowry death cases were reported across India.[1] Dowry issues cause 1.4 deaths per year per 100,000 women in India.[13][14][15]

According to a 1996 report by Indian police, every year it receives over 2,500 reports of bride-burning.[16] The Indian National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) reports that there were 8,331 dowry death cases registered in India in 2011.[1] Incidents of dowry deaths during the year 2008 (8,172) have increased by 14.4 per cent over the 1998 level (7,146),[17] while India's population grew at 17.6% over the 10-year period.[18] The accuracy of these figures have received a great deal of scrutiny from critics who believe dowry deaths are consistently under-reported.[19]

Dowry deaths in India are not limited to any specific religion.[20]

Prohibition

[edit]

The Dowry Prohibition Act of 1961 prohibits the request, payment or acceptance of a dowry, "as consideration for the marriage", where "dowry" is defined as a gift demanded or given as a precondition for a marriage. Gifts given without a precondition are not considered dowry, and are legal. Asking or giving of dowry can be punished by an imprisonment of up to six months, or a fine of up to ₹5,000 (US$60, £52 or A$90). It replaced several pieces of anti-dowry legislation that had been enacted by various Indian states.[21] Murder and suicide under compulsion are addressed by India's criminal penal code.

Indian women's rights activists campaigned for more than 40 years for laws to contain dowry deaths, such as the Dowry Prohibition Act 1961 and the more stringent Section 498a of Indian Penal Code (enacted in 1983). Under the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act 2005 (PWDVA), a woman can put a stop to the dowry harassment by approaching a domestic violence protection officer. After conducting field research, Shalu Nigam questioned the effectiveness of these laws, writing, "courts frequently ended up offering them compulsory counseling, which entails undesired results and narrow options," and noting "Laws could neither address the immediate needs of victims nor could offer practical remedies in terms of medical aid, short-stay homes, creche facilities, psychological support, shelter homes or economic or material assistance to the women which they need the most."[22]

Although Indian laws against dowries have been in effect for decades, they have been largely criticised as being ineffective.[23] The practice of dowry deaths and murders continues to take place unchecked in many parts of India and this has further added to the concerns of enforcement.[24]

Pakistan

[edit]

In Pakistan, the giving and expectation of a dowry (called Jahez) is part of the culture, with over 95% of marriages in every region of Pakistan involving transfer of a dowry from the bride's family to a groom's family.[25]

Dowry deaths have been rising in Pakistan for decades.[26][27][28] Dowry-related violence and deaths have been widespread since Pakistan became an independent nation.[29][30][31] Pakistan is predicted to have nearly 2,000 dowry-related deaths per year.[32][33]

There is some controversy on the dowry death rates in Pakistan. Some publications suggest Pakistan officials do not record dowry deaths, and that the death rates are culturally under-reported and may be significantly higher.[citation needed] For example, Nasrullah reports total average annual stove burn rates of 33 per 100,000 women in Pakistan, of which 49% were intentional, or an average annual rate of about 16 per 100,000 women.[34][35][36]

Pakistan's Dowry and Marriage Gifts (Restriction) Bill, 2008, restricts dowry to PKR 30,000 (~US$300) while the total value of bridal gifts is limited to PKR 50,000.[37] The law made demands for a dowry by the groom's family illegal, as well as public display of dowry before or during the wedding. However, this and similar anti-dowry laws of 1967, 1976 and 1998, as well as Family Court Act of 1964 have proven to be unenforceable. Activists such as SACHET, Pakistan claim the police refuse to register and prosecute allegations of dowry-related domestic violence and fatal injuries.[38]

Bangladesh

[edit]

In Bangladesh, dowry is called joutuk (Bengali: যৌতুক), and a significant cause of deaths as well. Between 0.6 and 2.8 brides per year per 100,000 women are reported to die because of dowry-related violence in recent years.[39][40] The methods of death include suicides, fire and other forms of domestic violence. In 2013, Bangladesh reported 4,470 women were victims of dowry-related violence over a 10-month period, or dowry violence victimized about 7.2 brides per year per 100,000 women in Bangladesh.[3]

Iran

[edit]

Dowry is an ancient custom of Persia, and locally called jahâz (sometimes spelled jahiziyeh).[41][42] Dowry-related violence and deaths in Iran are reported in Iranian newspapers, some of which appear in English media.[43] Kiani et al., in a 2014 study, report dowry deaths in Iran.[5] Iranian director Maryam Zahirimehr's 2018 film "Endless?" addresses trauma related to a dowry death in Iran.[44]

International efforts at eradication

[edit]

Reports of incidents of dowry deaths have attracted public interest and sparked a global activist movement seeking to end the practice. Of this activist community, the United Nations (UN) has played a pivotal role in combating violence against women, including dowry deaths.

United Nations

[edit]

The United Nations has been an advocate for women's rights since its inception in 1945, explicitly stating so in its Charter's Preamble,[45] the Universal Declaration of Human Rights[46] (adopted in 1948), the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights[47] (adopted in 1966), the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights[48] (also adopted in 1966) (these three documents are known collectively as the International Bill of Rights[49]) and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW)[50] (2012).

The United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), though predominately focused on improving the quality of education available to children globally, has also taken a proactive stance against dowry death. On March 9 (International Women's Day), 2009, at a press conference in Washington D.C., UNICEF's Executive Director, Ann M. Veneman, publicly condemned dowry deaths and the legislative systems which allow the culprits to go unpunished.[51] In 2009, UNICEF launched its first Strategic Priority Action Plan for Gender Equality, which was followed by a second Action Plan in 2010. The aim of these plans has been to make gender equality a higher priority within all international UNICEF programs and functions.[52]

Private organizations

[edit]

Amnesty International, in an effort to educate the public, has cited dowry deaths as a major contributor to global violence against women.[53] Also, in their annual human rights evaluations, Amnesty International criticizes India for the occurrences of dowry deaths as well as the impunity provided to its perpetrators.[54]

Human Rights Watch has also criticized the Indian government for its inability to make any progress towards eliminating dowry deaths and its lackluster performance for bringing its perpetrators to justice in 2011.[55] In 2004, the Global Fund for Women launched its "Now or Never" funding project. This campaign hopes to raise funds domestically and consequently finance the efforts of feminist organizations across the globe – including Indian women's rights activists. As of 2007 the Now or Never fund has raised and distributed about $7 million.[56]

A relatively smaller organization, V-Day, has dedicated itself to ending violence against women. By arranging events such as plays, art shows, and workshops in communities and college campuses across the United States, V-Day raises funds and educates the public on topics of gender-based violence including dowry death.[57] Full-length plays on dowry deaths include 'The Bride Who Would Not Burn'[58]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c "National Crime Statistics (page 196)" (PDF). National Crime Records Bureau, India. 2013-01-16. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-06-20. Retrieved 2015-01-02.
  2. ^ PAKISTAN: The social injustice behind the practice of dowry-when greed dictates society Asian Human Rights Commission (2014)
  3. ^ a b UN Women, Bangladesh Report 2014 – Annexes[permanent dead link‍] United Nations (May 2014), Table 6 page xiii
  4. ^ . Around 87,000 women were killed around the world last year and some 50,000 – or 58 per cent – were killed at the hands of intimate partners or family members. This amounts to some six women being killed every hour by people they know, according to new research published by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC). Isfahan man kills daughter over inability to pay dowry Public Broadcasting Service, Washington DC (August 16, 2010)
  5. ^ a b Kiani et al. (2014), A Survey on Spousal Abuse of 500 Victims in Iran, American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology, 35(1):50–54, March 2014
  6. ^ "Dowry Deaths Make Significant Share Of Female Killings In India: Report". NDTV. Retrieved 8 March 2019.
  7. ^ Subhani, D., Imtiaz, M., & Afza, S. (2009), To estimate an equation explaining the determinants of Dowry, MePRC Journal, University of Munich, Germany
  8. ^ Anderson, Siwan (2000), "The economics of dowry payments in Pakistan", Mimeo, Tilburg University Press, Center for Economic Research
  9. ^ Jane Rudd, "Dowry-murder: An example of violence against women." Women's studies international forum 24#5 (2001).
  10. ^ Meghana Shah, "Rights under fire: The inadequacy of international human rights instruments in combating dowry murder in India." Connecticut Journal of International Law 19 (2003): 209+.
  11. ^ Kumar, Virendra (Feb 2003). "Burnt wives". Burns. 29 (1): 31–36. doi:10.1016/s0305-4179(02)00235-8. PMID 12543042.
  12. ^ Oldenburg, V. T. (2002). Dowry murder: The imperial origins of a cultural crime. Oxford University Press.
  13. ^ Provisional 2011 Census Data, Government of India (2011)
  14. ^ Crime statistics in India Archived January 29, 2013, at the Wayback Machine, Government of India (2011)
  15. ^ http://ncrb.nic.in/CD-CII2011/Statistics2011.pdf Crime statistics in India Archived January 29, 2013, at the Wayback Machine, Government of India (2011)
  16. ^ Bride-burning claims hundreds in India: Practice sometimes disguised as suicide or accident CNN, August 18, 1996.
  17. ^ Point No.17, Dowry Deaths Archived 2011-06-28 at the Wayback Machine
  18. ^ Decadal Growth Rates in India Archived 2013-10-05 at the Wayback Machine Census of India, Government of India, New Delhi (2012)
  19. ^ Caleekal, Anuppa. "Dowry Death". Retrieved 2012-01-05.
  20. ^ Devadas, David (June 30, 1988). "Dowry-related deaths break religious, caste and geographical barriers". India Today. Retrieved 2019-02-12.
  21. ^ "Section 1-4, Dowry Act". indiacode.nic.in. Retrieved 10 April 2018.
  22. ^ Nigam, Shalu (2020). Women and Domestic Violence Law in India: A Quest for Justice. London: Routledge. pp. 1–2. ISBN 978-1-138-36614-5. Retrieved 30 July 2021.
  23. ^ Manchandia, Purna (2005). "Practical Steps towards Eliminating Dowry and Bride-Burning in India". Tul. J. Int'l & Comp. L. 13: 305–319.
  24. ^ Spatz, Melissa (1991). "A "Lesser" Crime: A Comparative Study of Legal Defenses for Men Who Kill Their Wives". Colum. J. L. & Soc. Probs. 24: 597, 612.
  25. ^ Zeba Sathar, Cynthia Lloyd, et al. (2001–2002) "Adolescents and Youth in Pakistan" Archived 2014-03-12 at the Wayback Machine pp.92–116, Population Council (with support from UNICEF)
  26. ^ Yasmeen, S. (1999) "Islamisation and democratisation in Pakistan: Implications for women and religious minorities", South Asia Journal of South Asian Studies 22(s1), pages 183–195 doi:10.1080/00856408708723381
  27. ^ Ibraz, T. S., Fatima, A., & Aziz, N. (1993) "Uneducated and Unhealthy: The Plight of Women in Pakistan" Archived 2014-11-07 at the Wayback Machine [with Comments], The Pakistan Development Review Vol.32 No.4 pp.905–915
  28. ^ Niaz, U (2004). "Women's mental health in Pakistan". World Psychiatry. 3 (1): 60–2. PMC 1414670. PMID 16633458.
  29. ^ Hussain, R. (1999) "Community perceptions of reasons for preference for consanguineous marriages in Pakistan", Journal of Biosocial Science Vol.31 No.4 pp.449–461
  30. ^ Shah, Khalida (1960). "Attitudes of Pakistani Students toward Family Life". Marriage and Family Living. 22 (2): 156–161. doi:10.2307/347333. JSTOR 347333.
  31. ^ Korson, J. Henry; Sabzwari, M. A. (1984). "Age and Social State at Marriage, Karachi, Pakistan 1961-64 and 1980: A Comparative Study". Journal of Comparative Family Studies. 15 (2): 257–279. doi:10.3138/jcfs.15.2.257. JSTOR 41601392.
  32. ^ Operational Note: Pakistan Refworld, A United Nations initiative (August 2011), see pages 16–21
  33. ^ Imtiaz, Subhani, Muhammad; Sarwat, Afza (10 April 2018). "To estimate an equation explaining the determinants of Dowry". mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de. Retrieved 10 April 2018.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  34. ^ Nasrullah; Muazzam (2010). "Newspaper reports: a source of surveillance for burns among women in Pakistan". Journal of Public Health. 32 (2): 245–249. doi:10.1093/pubmed/fdp102. PMID 19892782.
  35. ^ Juliette Terzieff (October 27, 2002) "Pakistan's Fiery Shame: Women Die in Stove Deaths" WeNews, New York
  36. ^ Miller, B. D. (1984). "Daughter neglect, women's work, and marriage: Pakistan and Bangladesh compared"]". Medical Anthropology. 8 (2): 109–126. doi:10.1080/01459740.1984.9965895. PMID 6536850.
  37. ^ Ashraf Javed (June 9, 2013) "Done to a daughter over dowry", The Nation (Pakistan)
  38. ^ (2006) Fight Against Dowry Archived November 8, 2014, at the Wayback Machine, SACHET (Pakistan); also see Dr. A.Q. Khan's July 2003 foreword on widespread Dowry problems to the Prime Minister of Pakistan
  39. ^ Shahnaz Huda (2006), Dowry in Bangladesh: Compromizing Women's Rights Archived 2015-04-26 at the Wayback Machine, South Asia Research, November vol. 26 no. 3, pages 249–268
  40. ^ Women's Safety: Ghosts on the Prowl Archived November 9, 2014, at the Wayback Machine Mahfuzur Rahman, Dhaka Courier, January 26, 2012
  41. ^ Steingass Persian-English Archived 2017-03-24 at the Wayback Machine, University of Chicago, See explanation for Jahiz
  42. ^ Persian English Dictionary see Dowry
  43. ^ Isfahan man kills daughter over inability to pay dowry Public Broadcasting Service, Washington DC (August 16, 2010)
  44. ^ King, Loren (29 March 2018). "Boston Globe Summiting Provincetown to address sexual harassment, racism, and pay disparity in the entertainment industry". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 21 January 2019.
  45. ^ "Charter of the United Nations: Preamble". United Nations. Archived from the original on 2012-10-05. Retrieved 2012-09-04.
  46. ^ "The Universal Declaration of Human Rights". United Nations. Retrieved 2012-09-04.
  47. ^ "International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights". Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. Retrieved 2012-09-04.[permanent dead link‍]
  48. ^ "International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights". Office of the United Nations High Commissioner on Human Rights. Archived from the original on 2012-03-03. Retrieved 2012-09-04.
  49. ^ "International Law". Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. Retrieved 2012-09-04.
  50. ^ "Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women". United Nations. Retrieved 2012-09-04.
  51. ^ "Statement of UNICEF Executive Director Ann M. Veneman on International Women's Day". UNICEF. Archived from the original on 2012-05-10. Retrieved 2012-09-04.
  52. ^ "UNICEF Strategic Priority Action Plan for Gender Equality: 2010–2012" (PDF). UNICEF. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-09-10. Retrieved 2019-03-09.
  53. ^ "Violence Against Women Information". Amnesty International. Retrieved 2012-09-04.
  54. ^ "India". Amnesty International. Archived from the original on 2012-09-10. Retrieved 2012-09-04.
  55. ^ "India: Disappointing Year for Human Rights". 2012-09-04. Human Rights Watch. Archived from the original on 2014-11-08.
  56. ^ "Her Majesty Queen Noor and Nancy Pelosi Join GFW to Announce Endowment for the World's Women". Global Fund For Women. Archived from the original on 2014-11-08. Retrieved 2012-09-04.
  57. ^ "Dowry Deaths & Bride Burning". V-Day. Archived from the original on 2013-06-03. Retrieved 2012-09-04.
  58. ^ "YouTube". www.youtube.com. Retrieved 10 April 2018.[dead YouTube link]

Further reading

[edit]
  • Dowry Murder: The Imperial Origins of a Cultural Crime, by Veena Talwar Oldenburg. Published by Oxford University Press, 2002.
  • Dowry and Protection to Married Women, by Paras Diwan, Peeyushi Diwan. Published by Deep & Deep Publications, 1987.
  • Crime in Marriages, a Broad Spectrum, by Poornima Advani. Published by Gopushi Publishers, 1994.
  • Encyclopaedia of violence against women and dowry death in India, by Kalpana Roy. Published by Anmol Publications PVT. LTD., 1999. ISBN 81-261-0343-4.
  • Dowry Death in India, by Geetanjali Mukherjee. Published by Indian Publishers Distributors, 1999. ISBN 81-7341-091-7.
  • Dowry Death, by Kamakshya Prasad, Jawaid Ahmad Khan, Hari Nath Upadhyaya. Published by Modern Law Publications, 2000. ISBN 81-87629-04-5.
  • Women in South Asia: Dowry Death and Human Rights Violations, by Pramod Kumar Mishra. Published by Authorspress, 2000. ISBN 81-7273-039-X.
  • Dowry murder: the imperial origins of a cultural crime, by Veena Talwar Oldenburg. Published by Oxford University Press US, 2002. ISBN 0-19-515071-6.
  • Death by Fire: Sati, Dowry, Death, and Female Infanticide in Modern India, by Mala Sen. Published by Rutgers University Press, 2002. ISBN 0-8135-3102-0.
[edit]
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