Dowry culture

Letter January 20, 2025
Dowry culture

Disguised as a cultural norm or social expectation, dowry is a practice that remains ingrained in our communities. The reality, however, is that “dowry” has evolved into a dangerous tradition that devalues women, burdens families, fuels violence and reduces women’s worth to monetary exchange. For many women, dowry-related harassment and domestic violence become life-long nightmares. In extreme cases, this cruel tradition has led to dowry deaths where women are tortured or driven to suicide as they cannot bring sufficient money to fulfil the greed of their marital homes. 
Moreover, dowry places immense financial strain on the bride’s family. Especially in rural areas, families often face extreme financial hardships and find themselves in a never-ending cycle of debt. There have been countless cases where families have been forced to sell their assets, or worse, take loans that they can never repay, just to meet the unreasonable demands.
We must confront this old-age practice to build a society where women are valued for their inherent worth, not for their financial contributions. It is time for society to reject this dowry culture and embrace more progressive values. Marriage should be a partnership based on mutual respect and love, not on financial transactions. Communities especially in Pakistan need to promote dowry-free marriages as this is a major hindrance to women’s education and independence. Anti-dowry moments promote gender-equal societies and for this to happen there should be a stronger enforcement of anti-dowry laws, combined with public awareness campaigns, which is essential to bring out lasting change.
Ridha Fatima
Karachi