The Kerala State government has amended the Dowry Prohibition Rules, 2004, to appoint dowry prohibition officers in all districts. The appointment of the dowry prohibition officers is part of the government's efforts to crack down on dowry in view of increasing cases now-a-days. An order issued by the Women and Child Development Department earlier this week said as per the Kerala Dowry Prohibition (Amendment) Rules, 2021, which would come into force immediately, the posts of dowry prohibition officers that existed on a regional basis in Kozhikode, Ernakulam, and Thiruvananthapuram had been expanded to all 14 districts.

The Health Minister said the post of dowry prohibition officers had already existed on a regional basis in three districts namely Thiruvananthapuram, Ernakulam and Kozhikode-and it has now been expanded to all districts. The district women and child development officers would act as dowry prohibition officer in each district, she said here in a statement. As part of the initiatives, the Director of Women and Child Development has been appointed as the Chief Dowry Prohibition officer. She said the government had already invited expression of interest from voluntary organisations for assisting women in complaints related to dowry.

Besides this, steps have been taken to set up district advisory boards and intensify awareness programmes, she explained. Awareness classes for students on gender and rules for women are being conducted in association with colleges and National Service Schemes, the minister added.

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