[nukkad] More Info - SIX POINT PROGRAM TO ERADICATE DOWRY AND BRIDE-BURNING IN INDIA

["Rajan Malhotra (MTS-RAL)" <Rajan.Malhotra@dcicorp.com>]

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Please feel free to contact me or Mr. Himendra Thakur if you need any other
information.


Asrecieved from Mr. Himendra Thakur


 There are 3 ways towards implementation :
(1)	Raise funds to implement the program,
(2)	 Convince the Government of India to implement the program,
(3)	 A combination of the above two.

 In the last 20 years, we have noticed that most of the
feministorganizations and activist groups in India take recourse to
streetdemonstration. They create a large volume of noise, block the
traffic,create an ambience of indiscipline : they march on the streets, and
atthe end, they submit a highly emotional memorandum to the Prime Minister
of India, asking him to do everything. The PM cannot do everything himself !
He gives the memorandum to thegroup of secretaries/bureaucrats who run the
government, with the hopethat they will take action. The officers are
inundated with this kindofmemorandums. Moreover, dowry and bride-burning is
tacitly supported byalarge section of population, including some
bureaucrats. It is verylikely that the memorandum on Dowry & Bride-Burning
will stay at thebottom of the pile for a long time. We are trying in a
modified way. Instead of submitting a high pitchedemotional memorandum to
the PM, we plan to submit a 50 page "Work-Plan"with conceptual details
towards actual implementation.Dowry&bride-burning is a deep-rooted problem.
We must back up that"Work-Plan" with elaborate research papers which will
diagnose therootsof the problem, how the evil is spreading in different
sections ofpopulation, the legal aspect, economic aspect, sociological and
psychological aspect, and spiritual & religious approach. In the four
international conferences and a number of seminars at HarvardUniversityand
London University, we have gathered some in-depth research papers.Some of
them are published in the Souvenir of the conferences and in abook "South
Asians and the Dowry Problem" published by Trentham BooksofEngland. We need
to do more work and we must hold the next Conference in India.We will invite
the scholars from Indian Universities to contributeresearch papers. The
conceptual "work-plan" will be backed by all theseresearch work. The Prime
Minister will have ample research work neededto implement the program. It is
not realistic for us to try to raise funds to implement theentireprogram,
because it is huge. The funds that we raise should be used tomotivate the
Government of India, because some of the plans must betaken up at national
level. If you wish, you may help us by raisingfunds to meet the expenses of
the next conference in New Delhi, whichwill be at least $10,000. if you can
inspire a few of your friends tocontribute a sum similar to what you plan to
contribute, that will be agreat help. If I can be free from the finance and
fundraisingheadaches,I can devote my energies to prepare the "Work-Plan". 
Please also sendusyour ideas and the ideas of your friends about the "Six
Point Program"and about the "Work-Plan" to be submitted to the PM.With the
best wishes to your friends, your family and yourself,


Sincerely yours,
Himendra Thakur
Chair, Board of DirectorsInternational Society Against Dowry and
Bride-Burning in India, Inc. (ISADABBI)
(A Tax-Exempt Non-Profit Incorporationin the USA)
Postal mailing address:
ISADABBI
P.O. Box 8766
Salem, MA-01971,
USA
TEL: USA-978-462-6159
FAX: USA-978-462-6347
email: hthakur@shore.net 

 SIX POINT PROGRAM TO ERADICATE DOWRY AND BRIDE-BURNING IN INDIA 
1.	MAJOR ECONOMIC PROGRAM: LONG TERM PLAN: 1(a) Enforce mandatory
education of females for financial independence and autonomy, 1(b) Introduce
a "Service Loan Fund" to provide low-interest loans to wage-earning males
who wish to pay-off their parents thereby preventing the possibility of
parents' claim of dowry as a compensation of expenses in raising and
educating their sons, 1(c) Originate an "Old Age Fund" in India to finance
old people thereby eliminating their dependency upon their sons.

2.    NATIONAL SUPPORT   GROUPS: LONG TERM PLANS: 

2(a). Organize and operate "Students Against Dowry" mutual support groups
for male and female students and   fresh graduates (i) to promote the
resolve of refusal of marriage if there is a dowry, & (ii) to support their
struggle against parental pressure for demand/acceptance/giving of dowry. 
2(b). Organize and operate "Parents Against Dowry" mutual support groups of
parents (i) who oppose the   dowry system, & (ii) whose daughters have been
victims of dowry. 

3.	 RESEARCH AND MASS COMMUNICATION: LONG TERM PLAN: 
 3(a). Promote research to identify and diagnose the dowry problem in India,
hold interviews, group/panel discussions, meetings, seminars, conferences,
internet discussions, and recommend legal, psychological, spiritual and
social remedies to eradicate the evil of dowry and bride-burning. 
3(b). Promote mass communication and education programs to publicize
anti-dowry ideology through drama, music, movies, radio and television
programs, books, periodicals, journals, handbills, and other audio-visual
media.


4.	 MICRO-ECONOMIC APPROACH: LONG TERM PLAN: 
This item will be developed to diagnose the dowry problem by micro-economic
studies and recommend ways and means to combat the subtle micro-economic
forces like demand, supply, greed, etc. which sustain the dowry system. 

5.	 LEGAL APPROACH: LONG TERM PLAN: 
5(a). Reformative Law: Reform Indian legal system to enforce a daughter's
inheritance rights to the estates of her parents, forefathers and other
ancestors. 5(b). Preventive Law: Enhance Indian legal system to declare a
marriage null and void as soon as dowry is demanded, and compensate the
divorced bride with the half of the estate of her ex-husband.
6.	 IMMEDIATE LIFE-SAVING MECHANISM: 
6(a). Construct dignified, high-rise, secured and protected buildings in a
number of towns/cities in India and operate "Job Center for Dowry Victims"
equipped with telephone hot-lines, attended by speciaists trained to handle
distress calls, where a dowry victim will receive effective security,
respectable accommodation, food and clothing, legal protection, medical
care, psychological and spiritual care, sports & recreational facilities,
study material and a job-oriented training till she is qualified to find a
job and qualified to lead a financially independent life. 6(b). Construct
dignified, high-rise, secured and protected buildings for financially
independent, working women.

[END OF THE SIX-POINT PROGRAM]

Thanks

Rajan Malhotra 

rajan_malhotra@yahoo.com





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