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THE COURT OF WOMEN
The round table discussion

The round table discussion

Women in all cultures and societies have, in different ways, been marginalized and silenced but never perhaps in a context where the feminine and the female were commodified and then devalued. In the context of India too, women have been discriminated against and subject to varied forms of violence – wife beating, rape and other forms of sexual violence, sati, female infanticide, witch killing and so on. The phenomena of dowry deaths that has become a frighteningly normal and routine form of violence against women in India and other South Asian cultures like in Bangladesh, Pakistan and Nepal is one such form of recasted violence. While dowry and dowry demands may have been criminalized in law, in life it has become an inextricable part of the institution of marriage. And it is becoming so with violence that is inextricably part of the practice of dowry; a violence that is being silenced by an ominous normalcy. A normalcy that has lent to it certain legitimacy. Like the amorality that accompanies corruption, dowry too is publicly condemned but privately condoned and practiced; a subject of moral outrage only when the girls family finally collapses under the weight of the incessant demands for more money, jewellery, property…more material goods, or when it finally consumes and destroys its ultimate victim, the wife.

In this respect Anweshi Women’s Counselling Centre organized the “Court of Women” which was held on the January 30th and 31st. This state level event was planned ahead of the national level “Court of women” to be held on July 2009 conducted by Vimochana, Bangalore. 

The Round Table Discussion held on January 30th

On January 30th, a round table discussion was kept where in issues of dowry and its exploitative forms were discussed. It was participated by social activists, ICDS supervisors, researchers, students, NGO representatives etc. Other eminent personalities like Lyda Jacob (Former Director, Social Welfare Board), P.E. Usha (AHADS, Attapady), Praveena Kodoth (CDS, Trivandrum), Rejitha (Sakhi, Trivandrum), K. Ajitha (Anweshi), Celine, Donna Fernandez, Sathya, Bhadra (Vimochana, Bangalore), Nalini Nayek (SEWA), Padmakumari (Mahila Samakhya), Jothi Narayan (Sthree Vedi) and Adv. Sandhya (HRLN). 130 people participated in this discussion.

It was a clear fact that the root of all female problems was somewhere associated with dowry. Moreover growing female foeticide in many parts of the country is a crucial fact of gender insensitivity. Ms Donna Fernandez shared that the court of women is distinct than the usual court proceedings as it is a platform where in women can share their experiences emotionally without any one to control them. She added that the attitudes of young boys and girls towards dowry should be changed. V. P. Suhara of NISA spoke that dowry is often supported by religious priests as a share goes to the mosque when a marriage happens. Lyda Jacob, the former director of Social Welfare Board, shared that women should not only have property rights but also the right to make decisions with respect to these properties. Ms. Rejitha of Sakhi and Ms. Praveena of CDS presented papers on dowry. However everyone agreed to the fact that the time was inadequate to discuss and share concerns and complexities regarding dowry. It was concluded that the court of women is a continuous process and is a platform where in two generations participate. The court of women demonstrated a new hope with the new generation reflecting a strong foundation of social awareness and the old generation giving firm support. Even though the new generation is not a part of any movement, there was a mutual sharing of their views and ideologies indicating responsible social consciousness and responsiveness.

31st January

The second day of the “Court of Women” started with a tribal dance from the “Irula” community of Attapady. The session was inaugurated by well known writer and activist Ms Sara Joseph and presided by K. Ajitha, Anweshi President. The welcome speech was given by Mrs. Jancy Jose. The programme started with participants who were victims of dowry giving their testimonies followed by the deposition by the expert witness. Finally the judges gave their verdicts on the testimonies. The event was also participated by the immediate relatives of those who died because of dowry, those who were still suffering from the evil of dowry, those who had to spent their major portion of their lives in gulf countries and suffered health problems, those who are in gulf countries and are toiling hard had shared their experiences. The expert witness presented with their views giving social background and dimensions to the testimonies. The jury consisted of eminent personalities like Dr. Sharada Mani, Ms. Nalini Nayek, C R Neelakanthan, M N Karassery, P. Geetha, T. G. Ajitha and Adv. Bhadrakumari. The programme concluded with the speech thanking all the participants.

 




  • Home - ANWESHI WOMEN'S COUNSELING CENTRE , is a voluntary womens organization based in Kozhikode, one of the major cities of Kerala, the southern Indian state. It was founded in response to the growing situation of gender related violence in Kerala. Police crime records as well as the medical survey report show the growing incidence of domestic violence and all sorts of other forms of violence against women both in the home and in the public sphere. The Kerala model of development which is celebrated throughout the world because of the high literacy rate and the comparatively better health status of.
  • Feminist theatre group - Anweshi's theatre group had launched its own play called " Sita" on 27th May, 2009. It has been staged at places like Kozhikode and Ernakulam.Due to an overwhelming response from different people, the play is also set to be staged at other parts of the.
  • News One - THE COURT OF WOMEN - The round table discussion - Women in all cultures and societies have, in different ways, been marginalized and silenced but never perhaps in a context where the feminine and the female were commodified and then devalued. In the context of India too, women have been discriminated against and subject to varied forms of violence - wife beating, rape and other forms of sexual violence, sati, female infanticide, witch killing and so on. The phenomena of dowry deaths that has become a frighteningly normal and routine form of violence against women in India and other South.
  • The National Court of Women, Bangalore - From time immemorial women from all cultures and societies have been discriminated and marginalized in many different ways. Over the years, violence against women has taken new shapes and forms. In India too, violence starts from the very beginning when the girl child is in the foetus of her mother. Different types of violence like beating wife, sexual violence, rape, female foeticide and infanticide, bride burning etc. In relation to this violence Vimochana, Bangalore and AWHRC had organized India Court of Women on dowry and related forms of violence in June 2009. Anweshi and some of the.

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