India's dowry curse: Outlawed practice remains deeply entrenched

India recorded 5,737 dowry-linked deaths in 2024, an average of around 16 women a day. Despite being outlawed more than six decades ago, the practice of dowry – the transfer or money or valuables from a bride's family when she gets married – remains deeply entrenched across Indian society. Our correspondents report.

Dowry refers to the transfer of money, property, vehicles, jewellery or other valuables from a bride's family to the groom or his family as part of a marriage arrangement. The practice was outlawed under India's Dowry Prohibition Act in 1961, but demands for cash and goods continue to be made before and after weddings.

This transfer is specifically done from the bride's side. India has long dealt with deep-rooted gender bias, where being born a woman is often seen as a disadvantage. Despite a legal ban on prenatal sex determination, research shows that between 2000 and 2019, nearly 9 million female foetuses were aborted in India. The preference for sons stems from rooted social attitudes: men are viewed as future breadwinners, while women are seen as financial burdens whose primary role is to be married off. And in exchange for marrying the woman who is considered a burden, men and their families demand luxury items.

In some communities, dowry demands can function like a market, with families negotiating according to the groom's education, occupation and income. Government employees and men with secure, well-paid jobs can command particularly high demands. Even families that reject the word "dowry" may accept expensive gifts presented as voluntary offerings to the bride or groom.

These demands often do not end with the wedding. Many women face pressure to continue bringing additional money, property or luxury goods from their families. Those who cannot meet these demands may face harassment, physical violence, abandonment or, in the most extreme cases, death.

A multi-billion-dollar wedding industry

Dowry is also linked to India's enormous wedding economy. Indian weddings are estimated to generate around $130 billion a year, with families spending heavily on ceremonies, jewellery, clothing and gifts.

For many families, the societal pressure is immense. Some borrow money or sell assets to meet wedding expenses and dowry demands.

Official crime data recorded 35,493 dowry-linked deaths between 2017 and 2022. Police also register tens of thousands of cases each year involving cruelty and harassment linked to dowry demands. But activists and researchers say the true scale of the problem is difficult to measure because many cases go unreported.