CBSE Schools In Kerala Launch Anti-Dowry Campaign

Earlier this week, dowry harrasment claimed another life in Kerala. The social evil that has hollowed out the institution of marriage over decades. A substantial approach needs to be put in place to eradicate this menace.

Keeping this in mind, the National Council of CBSE Schools (NCCS) came up with a unique campaign. CBSE schools across the State kick-started a week-long campaign against dowry coinciding with Dowry Prohibition Day that was observed on Friday, November 26. In July, the Kerala Government declared that it will observe November 26 as Dowry Prohibition Day in the State.

According to The Hindu, the campaign was held under the aegis of the Council of CBSE Schools Kerala (CCSK), an affiliate of the apex body of the National Council of CBSE Schools. CCSK issued a circular to managers and principals of 250-odd schools under its jurisdiction to organise an oath-taking ceremony against dowry by students during the assembly on Friday, November 26.

Schools were asked to record videos of the oath-taking and send them to CCSK for making a collage of videos delivering the message against the social evil.

The campaign aims to instill awareness among the students by making them change- makers who would further re- structure the conversation in their household to bring about a change in long run.

By getting the students to take the anti-dowry pledge, a very strong message will be sent out to the public that our children are waking up and they will play a pivotal role in the fight against this social evil, the NCCS secretary-general said.

Dowry Deaths In India

A slew of dowry deaths in June in the state made headlines. Since then, the Pinarayi Vijayan-led Government has taken a series of steps to curb the menace. It took steps to set up of special courts for handling cases related to dowry harassment and attacks against women. In July, the Government issued a circular directing all male government employees to furnish a declaration to their heads of departments within one month of their marriage that they have not taken any dowry.

Vijayan also announced that "Kerala's school textbooks will be revised and audited to sieve out words and phrases disparaging women. Steps will be taken to turn our schools and colleges into spaces that embrace the idea of gender equality and equal rights".

.According to data, dowry deaths in India amounted to nearly 7,000 in 2020. The highest number of dowry deaths were registered in Uttar Pradesh with 2,274 deaths followed by Bihar(1,047), Madhya Pradesh(608), West Bengal(522), Rajasthan(479), Odisha(320), Jharkhand(275) and Haryana(251).

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