KARACHI, Sept 11: Describing dowry as a social menace, the Sindh Minister for Women Development, Dr Saeeda Malik, has announced she will launch a movement against the practice in close collaboration with different sections of society.

She was speaking at a seminar “Girl child-dialogue on dowry” organised by the media cell of the Sindh Directorate of Women Development here on Tuesday.

The minister expressed her strong reservations over the trend of correlating brides with beauty, wealth and to an extent with professional education - supplementing the husband’s income.

“We have to outrightly reject the concept of dowry as it is under the pretext of dowry that girls are being turned into a commodity,” Dr Malik said.

She stressed the need for a change in the mindset of the masses and said that efforts in this regard must be started with educated segments involving colleges and universities.

The minister said that at least one chapter on the issue of dowry and its implications on society would be incorporated at the school and college level curricula.

“Moreover, gender and governance project of the Sindh welfare department aimed at training of women councillors will also have a chapter on the issue,” she added.

Dr Malik maintained that following these basic measures the government would involve NGOs, lawyers and religious scholars to exercise their influence and educate society.

She at the very onset of her presentation also referred to the role of the media but regretted that currently the media had been focussing on glamour and commercialisation paving the way for trends detrimental to the social norms of the people.

The minister said that an Anti-women Practices Bill had been drafted and recommendations with regard to dowry could be incorporated in the draft.

Dr Malik also urged women to realise their responsibilities and discourage practices which could be harmful to other women.

She also acknowledged the need for a package of legislation aimed at issues related to marriage including measures to curtail unlimited expenses borne on marriage and associated ceremonies, absolute disregard for power shortage experienced across the country, late commencement of ceremonies.

Earlier panellists including Begum Shireen Rehmatullah, Shamim Kazmi, Naseem Bukhari, Salma Murad made their presentations.

Subhan Memon, Secretary, Sindh Women Development Department, conducted the proceedings. An interactive session was held following the presentations.—APP