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Social movement a must to change dowry culture

Speakers tell workshop

Staff Correspondent
Dowry is one of the major causes of violence against women in the country and it is a must to create a social movement to change the culture of dowry, speakers at a workshop said yesterday.
The workshop on the findings of the study on 'Dowry demand and its consequences' was held at the city's Biam .niditorium where the speakers also stressed the need for
changing attitude towards dowry.
MRC-MODE Limited organised the workshop to discuss the study that was conducted by MRC-MODE under the project 'Promotion of gender equality andwomen'sempowerment'.
The project is jointly being implemented by UNFPA and the Department of Women Affairs.
The study that interviewed more than 4,500 people in Cox's Bazar, Sylhet, Bhola and
Kurigram revealed that there are differences between the legal meaning and people's perception of dowry.
Around 79 percent believe that dowry is more prevalent in the rural areas while more than 80 percent of males think that what is given to the bride by her parents is not dowry. Around 60 percent of males believe that without dowry girls cannot be married off to good families.
About 54 percent of the women who had to give dowry
said that their families faced a financial crisis as a consequence of dowry.
The speakers also said that downy has also mental and physical consequences alongside financial consequences.
Terming gender discrimination a cause of dowry, the speakers Also stressed the need for bringing equity in the society and establishing empowerment ofwomen through education.
Speaking as the chief guest, Secretary to the Ministry of Women and Cultural Affairs Rokeya Sultana said that empowerment of women did not come through revolution, it came through education.
"So providing the girls with education is a must and until women are considered as human beings first, it will be difficult to eradicate dowry from the society* she added.
"There is no spaceYor dowry in Islam," said Director General of the Department of Women Affairs Rowshan Ara Begum.
Laws are important though laws don't change our behav iour, said Arthur Erken, repre-sentative of UNFPA Bangladesh, stressing the need for changing the behaviour.
Mokhlesur Rahman, project director, noted cultural personality SaraZaker and representatives from different nongovernment organisations and women affairs ministry also spoke.