The dowry culture reduces marriage to a transactional event – where the value of a woman is measured by the wealth her family can offer. Many are forced into debt solely to meet societal expectations, dehumanizing women in the process.
While a legal framework exists to combat dowry demands, enforcement remains weak. The role of the government in enforcing anti-dowry laws is critical, but so is our collective will to eradicate this damaging custom.
Tania Shahjahan
Qamber Shahdadkot