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For many years women worldwide have struggled for equality and fair treatment. Although in the Middle East, this plight is met with vast indifference. Violence is very rampant and women are treated quite submissively. Mostly, a woman's importance in this part of the world is based upon her ability to produce sons and provide handsome dowries. For some time now news reports have been bringing to light the crime of killing new brides for their dowry. For these trapped women, it is just another way for empowered males to exert their superiority and power.
There are arguments that the actual acts of "dowry death" have not increased as suspected, just the act of reporting them. As people's rights are promoted and enforced, cries for help seem to increase tri-fold. With our free, opinionated upbringings, it is difficult for us to understand their position. Words of change are not enough, for these people need to learn another whole way of thinking. This type of alteration is very slow to happen, which is unfortunate for the women in this position.
In these areas, women's roles are strongly implied by the men and almost always center in and around the home. Their sole function is childbearing and rearing, and they seldom have any social function outside the home. Even in poorer areas where a woman may need to contribute by working labor, no form of payment is ever involved. Having to contribute in this way offers no independence or community standing for these women, thus the difference between their social status and ours.
The actual giving of a dowry has been prohibited since 1961, although the charge can easily be avoided by offering it as a gift, not compensation. To the people receiving the dowry, there is great importance behind its meaning. Not for religious or sentimental reasons, but strictly for status and monetary greed. Many a bride has suffered abuse or worse from an unsatisfied groom and his family. Poor families are often at the mercy of the groom to be and because of this stress, female infanticide is a common occurrence. The dowry is actually a tool used for attracting males of high status, or as a bribe from parents fearing an unwed daughter.
Unfortunately there are few reasons for this type of crime, and the justification for it is definitely unsavory. Monetary greed is a major issue, which encourages a groom and his family to consider the possibility of further dowries from multiple brides. Logically to these people, the death of one bride opens the door to receive another.
Due to the importance of virginity at the time of marriage, grooms can easily justify their discontent with their bride by pleading dishonor or promiscuity. This type of justification is supposedly not supported by law, even though punishment for these crimes goes unnoticed or covered up. In these areas, dishonor holds such shame within the community that families have been known to murder their own children to make an example of them.
Death of these brides is sometimes unavoidable, or so it seems to friends and family. This is solely because of the lack of help and enforcement of the laws regarding these crimes. "The social stigma attached to unmarried women and divorced women is so strong that most parents would rather see their daughters dead then to have them get a divorce and return permanently to the parental home". The bride-murderer may also be offered subsequent siblings by the dead girl's family because the siblings are often black marked and difficult to marry off. This alone is evidence of the utter helplessness of these families and their children.
There are campaigns and laws designed to help these women, although they are rarely enforced. Even when a perpetrator is charged, many times it drags on forever and evidence is lost and witnesses forget.
According to UNICEF "more then 6000 bride burnings or other deaths were reported in 1997". These deaths are usually explained away as accidental home fires or explosions. Scant time is spent on investigating these events and the law doesn't appear to be interested in combating the problem.
The gender inequality is a contributing factor to the lack of action and until a time when these women are regarded as more then baby-making machines there will be little change. Definitely some of these murderers are punished, although the punishment is insulting to the victims families. Even more insulting are traditions that drive families and loved ones to murder baby girls and stand back while their young daughters are killed. Hopefully with effective promotion of public awareness, we can help alleviate this type of occurrence in the future.
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