7/30/2019 Case Neelam Kalwani
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CASE STUDY
Women are generally considered a burden to the family in our
society. To ease such
load one has to spend money (dowry) to get the girls married off
as early as possible(below 18 years). The adolescent girls are
being treated in a somewhat negativeperspective and their careers
are being ruined. Family members could take little interest
in the well being of the children because of poverty and lack of
awareness. This often
gives rise to the scope of trafficking women and children.
This problem exists in our working area also. Coochbehar is
close to Bangladesh. Here,in Gobarchhora GP under Dinhata no. 2
block, close to Bangladesh border, it is noticed
that teen-age girls are being married off under 18 years. Grooms
come here from
Hariyana, Gajiabad, Delhi etc. to get married with such girls,
with the help of localpeople. In these weddings the grooms family
do not generally demand any dowry. On
the contrary, they bear all the wedding expenses even they pay
good amount of money
to, brides family. But after the marriage there is no
communication between the groomand brides family. These girls never
come back to their families. They are made to be
engaged in prostitution.
In the name of such marriage women trafficking is going on.
Besides, women are
allured for employment and thus they are being trafficked to
other places. But at presentsome change is being noticed for
creating awareness about this.
Specially, the zeal of the women groups has led to prevent
trafficking in some places.
One incident is narrated here :Karla village is under Gobrachora
Nayarhat GP. Poverty stricken Adhir Barman passed
away five years back leaving behind wife, two marriageable
daughters and a son.
Rekha, widow, of Adhir, maintains her family by working as daily
labourer. She
requested her neighbours to find suitable boys for her
daughters. Bimal, neighbour AjayBarmans son, works in Delhi. Last
August he came home along with a friend from
Delhi who wants to get married here. Bimal talked to Rekha and
expressed his friendsintention. He would not demand any dowry for
this marriage. Poor Rekha was happy to
know that she would not have to give dowry. Bimals friend met
Rekhas daughter and
agreed to marry her. In the mean time a group of women came to
Rekhas place along
with Najrul Pally SHG members. They asked various questions to
the boy. But thewomen were not satisfied with the answers. They
were suspicious about him and
threatened to hand him over to police. So in the next
opportunity he ran away. Rekha
was so angry that she blamed the women for her daughters
marriage being broken. Thewomen discussed with Rekha, the hazy and
uncertain future which would possibly ruin
her daughters life. The whole group decided to look out for a
good boy meant forRekhas daughter.At last the women group arranged
Rekhas daughters marriage with a boy without
dowry. Moreover, the women collected all the money for the
wedding ceremony.
7/30/2019 Case Neelam Kalwani
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SUMMARY of THE CASE:
This is mainly in rural areas that girls are treating as a
burden in her families and getmarried in early age. After marriage
there is no relation between groom and brides
family. Girl never came back to her family. So, because of
unaware family, the girl went
to hell. These girls are uneducated also. That is why,
trafficking of women rises. a caseis also there, in a village, a
poor widow, Rekha is having 2 unmarried daughters. So, her
neighbor introduces a man for Rekhas daughter. He demanded no
dowry and wedding
expenses is also beared by him. In mean time, a group of women
and self help group
member came and asked questions to the man. The women were
skeptical about hisanswers, after some time the man ran away. Rekha
blamed the women for breaking the
marriage of her daughter. Then, the group of women found a man
that demands no
dowry and Rekhas daughter marry him. She is now happy.
Q1. What is the main problem being a matter of concern discussed
in the above case?Ans. following are the problems discussed in this
case:
Illiteracy
Inequality in boys and girls
Unawareness
Wrong intention side of boy family
Poverty
Villagers following the ancestors tradition
Girls treated as a burden
Q2. What is the help done by women group? also give suggestions
to overcome these
problems as discussed in above case?Ans. Help done women
group:
Create awareness
Shows right path to Rekha and her daughters
Making girls future bright by arranging a good person for
her
Learnt a lesson to other villagers
Suggestions
By educating girls
By awaring rural people for better future of girls
Giving knowledge about government schemes related girls
education
Motivating girls
By making association of persons who take care of girls for not
marry before 18
years of age
Create self help groups
