The Kerala State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) has issued a firm directive to the state government to ramp up efforts in combating the social evil of dowry and its link to domestic violence. The order, spearheaded by SHRC Chairperson Justice Alexander Thomas, calls for effective and widespread awareness campaigns to deter dowry practices.
Commission's Directive and the Triggering Complaint
The commission's intervention came in response to a formal complaint filed by advocate M M Humayoon. The petition specifically demanded the installation of public notice boards across the state, clearly stating that both giving and accepting dowry is a punishable offence under the law. Taking this plea seriously, Justice Alexander Thomas directed the Principal Secretary of the Women and Child Development Department to ensure comprehensive action.
Government's Multi-Pronged Action Plan
In its report to the SHRC, the department outlined a series of proactive steps already underway or in the pipeline. A key move has been the amendment of the Kerala Dowry Prohibition Rules 2004 to formally appoint Women and Child Development Officers as Dowry Prohibition Officers, decentralizing enforcement.
To bolster this, district advisory boards, comprising five members each, have been formed. These boards are tasked with providing crucial advice and legal assistance to the district-level prohibition officers, strengthening the grassroots implementation mechanism.
The awareness strategy is multi-channel:
- Extensive use of social media campaigns to reach a wider audience, especially the youth.
- Display of empowering posters for women in prominent public spaces.
- Targeted awareness programs at wedding venues, local self-government institutions, registration offices, and police stations.
- Distribution of cards carrying messages from the Minister for Women and Child Development.
- Collaboration with the Cultural Department to explore displaying anti-dowry warnings in films and television serials.
The department also informed the commission that the process to select approved welfare institutions and organisations for the law's effective implementation is in its final stages.
A Sustained Push for Social Change
The SHRC's order underscores a judicial push for sustained administrative action beyond mere legislation. By mandating visible, omnipresent campaigns and strengthening the official machinery through the 2004 Rules amendment, the aim is to create a continuous deterrent. The focus on public spaces like marriage halls and registration offices targets the very sites where dowry transactions often occur or are negotiated. This holistic approach, combining legal authority with public messaging, seeks to transform social attitudes and provide clearer avenues for reporting and redressal, ultimately aiming to reduce incidents of dowry-related domestic abuse in Kerala.
