State to launch portal to report dowry crimes

Pinarayi stresses on govt.’s commitment to fight the social evil in Kerala

A portal to report complaints related to dowry will soon be launched in Kerala, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has said, underscoring his government’s commitment to fight the social evil.

Calling dowry an evil in Kerala practised to objectify women, he said getting rid of attitudes that looked upon women as objects was imperative to ensuring gender equality.

He was speaking after inaugurating the State-level International Women’s Day celebrations organised by the Women and Child Development Department here on Tuesday.

On State’s moves to curb dowry, he said strict action would be ensured on complaints related to the crime and the portal that was being planned would aid the process.

Women, he said, should be aware of their rights and men should also be very conscious of how to behave with women. A pre-marital counselling programme towards this end was also being launched on the day, he said.

The theme for this International Women’s Day was formulated against the backdrop of climate change. It was women who faced the most hardship in natural disasters caused by climate change. Leadership roles for women should be ensured in activities aimed at surviving such natural disasters, the Chief Minister said.