Government of Maharashtra as responded to our request to observe 26th November as ANTI DOWRY DAY followed by a Week on Government Level all over the State of Maharashtra and has already issued a Circular to this effect to all the District in Maharashtra and to all concerned. On our initiative and follow up with Dy. Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Women & Child Development Department has issued directives to the effect that Anti Dowry Day be observed in all the Districts followed by a week and educational programs be organized to create awareness against the evil custom of Dowry.
26th November is the day on which Equality of Men & Women was imbibed in our Constitution and was accepted by the State. Custom of DOWRY is against the principles of Equality of Men & Women and hence this day is to be observed as Anti Dowry Day. Various awareness programs were organized to mark this occasion.
The main object of the Movement is the SECULAR EDUCATION OF MASSES by holding Public Meeting, conducting various Educational and Social Programs such as Seminars, Conferences, Debates, Lecture Series, Essay and Elocution Competitions on different Social Subjects, Poster and Cartoon Competitions, QUIZ Contests, screening of Documentary Films and Slide Shows to mobilize and mould public opinion against the Evil Customs prevailing in the Society, such as Dowry which is eating into the vitals of our Society.
We accept invitations for lecture programs in Public Meetings,on the subject of "Dowry an Evil System" This year we have carried out Legal Awareness Campaigns related to
We have created and maintained an Exhibition highlighting the Evils of Dowry System, which is taken to various places in the country, especially in the Colleges and Universities, Youth Organizations, Women's Organizations(Mahila Mandals) and also Social Clubs such as Lions, Rotary, Inner Wheel Circles etc.
The exhibition which consists of Posters showing Evils of Dowry System and also Cartoons on the same subject are being exhibited and this pograms has proved to be a very effective source of social education. This exhibition has been appreciated by all the sections of the society every where and so far has reached people from Maharashtra, Gujrat, Rajasthan, Goa, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and New Delhi.
This year being the Birth Centenary year of our Founder President Shri. D. B. alias Mamasaheb Kulkarni we have created a Fresh Exhibition of Posters in his memory on the subjects (1)Evils Effects of DOWRY custom (2)Evil Effects of Female Feticide. This Exhibition is created through State Level Poster Competition organized for Fine and Applied Art Colleges from Maharashtra. Trophies and Cash Prizes were given to winning participants on the occasion of YOUTH DAY on 12th January 2013 at University of Mumbai detailed resultand photos appear elsewhere in the Report.
Today Domestic Violence is at the increase in all corners of our country. Domestic Violence is serious crime, which occurs in family and intimate relationship. It is a pattern of assertive and coercive behaviors, including physical, psychological and sexual attacks as well as economic coercion, by one person or member of the family over the other. Though this definition is true, women in the society are th maximum victims of Domestic Violence and hence it appears to be restricted to only violence inflicted by a man on a woman, who live in a intimate relationship.
Domestic Violence is a serious human right violation of woman. It is largely responsible for victimization of children and break-up of families and homes. In fact violence and tension in the home is a reflection of growing violence and tession in the society. Hence domestic violence cannot be regarded a private or family problem but a major social problem affecting society at large. We have a Grievance Cell for women in distress operating from our office. Majority of the complaints are about Domestic Violence.
We represent these cases to the Government and concerned authorities and also to the Police Department. The problems and grievances referred to us by aggrieved women and /or their parents are also referred to legal aid centers for women in distress. Up till now we have received many cases such as bride burning, Domestic Violence, abduction, threats to life etc. and other kind of atrocities on women such as wife beating etc. However response from the authorities is not encouraging and we have not been able to seek justice.
