Articles
There are going to be weekly articles posted here. Each article will be different between one and another. The articles are going to be written by our fellow writers, proof checked, and valid information! Have a good read!
Article 1: The Effects Of Industrialization
By Zeal Mapuskar
Industrialization is the development of different industries at a certain time and place. The industrialization has really benefited us by providing us with resources and technology that make our lives easier today. Today we travel by cars and bikes, instead of riding on animals. Industrialization has caused great urbanization that led to major economic growth in countries like UAE, United Kingdom, USA, etc. We were even able to go through this lockdown due to Industrialization. However, with all these benefits, did Industrialization do more harm or danger? Here are 3 major negative impacts of the industrial revolution.
With all the benefits and advantages of Industrialization. It has even created major environmental and social problems. Starting with Child labour. During the great depression, adults were not employed because children were employed in unsafe and hazardous factories. It was believed that children were smaller in size and easier to work and pay low wages to. Therefore it led to several major riots and protests that finally made the law create laws against child labour. Even this being illegal in many countries, it is often practiced in rural and urban areas. Child labour is a problem that needs a lot of awareness. Around the entire world, 152 million children are child labour victims. Almost half of these children are aged from 5 to 11 years old.
Because of industries, casteism was more prominent in society. First came the founders of the industry (1st class), then came the CEOs (2nd class). Then came the managers (3rd class). Then came the masters (4th class) and then came the labouriers (5th class). I can give an example from the French revolution. The french revolution was a revolt against the riches for heavy taxation, low wages, hard work, and low opportunities for the poor. This revolution was mainly caused by casteism. If the poor were treated fairly and not poorly, this revolt wouldn’t even exist in the first place. Therefore, casteism is another negative impact of Industrialization.
The last but not least impact of Industrialization was the environment. The four primary environmental impacts made by the industrial revolution were: Air, Water, Soil, and Habitat. Because of C02 being released from big factories, air pollution was caused. Because of all the large waste material being released in the oceans killed many animals and their habitats. Intoxicating animals and water. This dangerous water was connected to many wetlands that were connected to the soil. Because of the soil getting contaminated by the water. The vegetation was poor and diseased. Several animals, plants, trees, and humans lost their lives and houses in deforestation. Deforestation was caused to make new industries and grow the number of industries. We need immediate justice for our environment or there won’t be anything left for our future generation.
There were the 3 major negative impacts of the Industrial revolution. Our goal wasn’t to hurt anyone’s feelings. However to bring out the real truth of all the social and environmental injustice that is still going on in this world.
Article 2: The Beirut Blast
By Jui Bhagwatkar
On August 4th, in the year 2020, an unprecedented blast shook the port area in the city of Beirut. Killing almost 200, injuring about 5,000, and leaving about a quarter of a million people with uninhabitable homes, the Lebanon representatives describe the explosion as similar to “15 years of war in 15 seconds” at the United Nations.
Next to Beirut’s port grain silos, white smoke from Warehouse 12 was being seen. After some time, there was a considerably large explosion from the warehouse. Spectators said they could see the roof on fire and could hear short firework-like explosions after that. Then, after about 30 seconds, a massive explosion took place. People could see a mushroom-shaped cloud above the explosion site, a toxic red cloud of nitrogen gas, and a supersonic blastwave that passed through the city.
Watch a spectator angle of the explosion at this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNDhIGR-83w
The warehouses adjacent to the blast were wiped out and the explosion created a crater spanning about 140 meters right at the port, causing much of the portside land to flood. The neighboring silo grains were heavily damaged, and many of the structures around the blast were damaged due to the blastwave. It even wrecked a ship and smashed it out of the water.
Several emergency response workers were also killed, like Firefighter Sahar Fares, who died at the scene trying to help people away from the damage. At least five nurses also died, according to the confirmed casualty list released by the Ministry of Health. The French architect, Jean-Marc Bonfils, a female diplomat from the German embassy, and an Australian boy that was only two years old, are among the many that are confirmed dead.
2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate that was unsafely stored in the warehouse was the cause of the massive explosion. In 2013, a ship called the MV-Rhosus was carrying this nitrate and had temporarily docked in the port during their trip to Mozambique. Captain Boris Prokoshev said that the ship grew old and was not maintained well during one of their previous stops in Athens. They had docked in the Beirut port to receive new supplies but then found that the ship’s latches had grown old and started to buckle. After inspecting the ship, officials prohibited the ship from leaving the port and ordered the ammonium nitrate to be stored in the warehouse. The captain of the ship and a few of the crewmembers say they were forced by the port authorities to stay on the ship. Captain Prokoshev requested guidance and help from many authorities, including the Russian government, but no help was offered. Meanwhile, a court meeting in Lebanon was to decide if the ammonium nitrate was to be sold or disposed of, but the meeting was delayed and forgotten about.
Ammonium nitrate is a white salt produced from nitric acid reacting with ammonia. It is most commonly used in fertilizers and bombs. It is usually stable under normal conditions, but can become explosive after a period of time if it decays in a warm confined space. As the amount of ammonium nitrate increases, the explosive capacity also increases. The explosive capacity of ammonium nitrate increases with the amount of ammonium nitrate and can be intensified if there is fire near. Some people believe that a fire was started due to some maintenance work on the door of the warehouse.
President Aoun has promised the public full transparency during the investigation into the Beirut explosion. The government has also vowed to punish those accountable for the explosion. The workers that were overseeing the ammonium nitrate have been placed under house arrest until the investigation is completed. Despite the governments’ pledges, promises, and speeches, the Lebanese citizens are not happy and see the explosion as an indication of possible government corruption and mismanagement. After the government’s resignation, demonstrators continued to clash with the police, demanding the government to start response programs.
Volunteer groups are doing everything they can to help the residents whose houses were damaged. Medical teams are working hard to help the injured and the police are trying to find many of the people that went missing during the blast. Fadi is a construction engineer. With friends, he tries to take as many photos of large pieces of construction material around the city that could fall on someone. He hopes that by doing this, the authorities will be able to get these large pieces of material away from residents safely.
Article 3: Animal Cruelty
By Shweta Joshi
In Telangana, 2019, 50 stray dogs were poisoned and then dumped at an irrigation project not far from where they were killed.
In Kolkata, 2018, a 35 year old man lured a stray dog into his house and raped her.
In Kerala, 2020, a pregnant elephant was given a pineapple filled with firecrackers. They bursted in her mouth, and she spent days in agonising pain before passing away.
In Maharashtra, 2018, a tigress named Avni was shot and killed by forest officials, and the reason cited was because she was a man-eater.
There are hundreds and thousands of other animal cruelty cases which have occured in our country in the past several years. There are countless cases of insensitive and heartless humans who abuse animals for no apparent reason, but hardly anyone talks about it, or wants to acknowledge it.
The cruelty of animals is a cognisable offence under Section 428 and 429 of the Indian Penal Code, but this doesn’t stop people from harming animals. Even though the deserved punishment of animal abuse should be years of imprisonment, most people convicted for crimes against animals get away with a 50 Rupees fine only.
50 Rupees for hurting an animal.
50 Rupees for beating an animal.
50 Rupees for killing an animal.
Even though it is a punishable crime, perpetrators of it aren’t given any sentencing, and often the police don’t bother to arrest animal abusers. Time and again, the police’s corrupt behavior, and their lack of regard for the lives of animals lets hundreds of animal abusers walk free, and hundreds of animals die. Not only that, but many times, witnesses of animal abuse cases don’t report them for the fear of being harmed by the perpetrators.
Anyone who has a heart must be disgusted by this. Animals are not mere objects that take up space; they are living beings that deserve a shelter, food, water, and love; just like we do. We should be kind and compassionate, and teach our children to do the same.
Animal abuse should not be taken lightly, since not only is it very unjust, but also because if some people abuse animals, there’s a very high chance they are, or will begin to hurt humans too.
So, now, what can you as an individual do to help animals?
Well, for starters, you should spread awareness. Tell your family and friends about what you’ve learnt through this article, sign petitions for justice, and if you ever witness animal abuse or see an injured animal, please report it and help as much as you can. Also, do not differentiate between pet animals and stray animals; often, people say they love animals and have breed pets but bat a blind eye towards stray animal abuse. And lastly, encourage and arrange organised sterilization and vaccination drives for stray animals. Amongst mass animal killings, a common, yet barbaric motive is to reduce the animal’s population, but a more ethical thing to do is to sterilise the animals so that they cannot reproduce, or vaccinate them so they don’t get diseases and spread them.
Article 4: The Kashmiri Pandits
By Zeal Mapuskar
This eventually started when the Hindu Aryan Saraswat brahmins migrated to Kashmir. These people were known as Bhattas and the Kashmir pandits. These people formed a significant area of Kashmir. This land of Kashmir was the home to several other communities.
During the 14th century, the Muslims invaded the Lohara dynasty. Many people that were employed by the rulers started to consolidate their roots as a community of Kashmir. The first time that the Kashmiri Pandits were assaulted was during 1252 - 1273 AD, when the Kashmiri Pandits failed to overthrow their king. Because of this, the Kashmiri Pandits faced torture from the king. During 1301 - 1320, the king tortured the Kashmiri Pandits by conducting mass genocides and several other methods.
The kingdom tried to eradicate all Hindus from Kashmir. During the 1413 - 1430, the Kashmiri Pandits faced heavy taxation, killing and religious conversions. Because of these conversions, many pandits killed themselves and were killed. Many of these Pandits escaped from their homes and seeked refuge. Many Pandits were banned from practicing hindu ceremonies and attending religious prayers.
When Sultan Zainul Abidin took over Kashmir, he respected the Kashmiri Pandits and made sure that they gave back everything they lost. This was a peaceful phase for the Muslims. After this ruler, the rulers later burnt all religious scriptures and again troubled the Kashmiri Pandits. When the Mughal emperor, Akbar came to rule, he was lenient on the Kashmiri Pandits. They were allowed to practice their religious ceremonies and practice their religion.
During the Afghan rule (1753 - 1819 AD), the cruelty and mass genocide continued. The majority of the population was converted to Islam during the Sikh rule. This was another peaceful time. The others were converted and the rest had left the state. The people that stayed, they reclaimed their properties and belongings. During 1846 AD, the Kashmir Pandit’s cultural and religious freedom was stopped. This again led to the Pandits to migrate. Women and children were abducted and the entire community was tortured.
In the year, 1990, the pandits were targeted and killed. Several people were shot and killed, and Anti-India slogans were raised. There were explosions and firings at temples and houses. The Kashmir Pandits were fired out of their houses and several either migrated we were killed. On the night of January 19th, 1990, it was announced through mosques that the Kashmiri Pandits were targeted. Therefore, the Kashmiri Pandits community decided to leave the place. Currently, there are very little Kashmiri Pandits in Kashmir. Most of them are in refugee camps or Delhi and Mumbai. This was one of the most tragic incidents in the recent past.
Article 5: COVID 19's impact on the economy
By Kashish Bhanushali
Over 122 million people in India lost their jobs in April, according to estimates from Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy. Around 75% of them were small traders and wage-laborers.
A financial crisis is currently going on because of COVID. A lot of people are losing their jobs, the financial resources needed for life, even basic needs, like food and water. At this point, people have to get out of their houses and forcefully go to their house because they are dying out of hunger and thirst. At this point, this issue is so sensitive that some people would rather go outside and get COVID than staying home and die out of hunger. A rare catastrophe, a pandemic of the coronavirus, has resulted in the loss of a tragically high number of human lives. The whole world has been held in a Lockdown as countries implement necessary quarantines and social distancing measures to control the pandemic. Unlike others witnessed in our lives, the magnitude and intensity of failure of operation that has occurred are distinct.
The number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits had surged for the third week by 6.6 million, bringing the total over that period to more than 16 million Americans. The US Federal Reserve said it would unleash an additional $2.3tn in lending as restrictions on activity to help contain the coronavirus had forced many businesses to close and put about 95% of Americans on some form of lockdown.
By the time the pandemic is over, the charity said, half of the world's population of 7.8 billion people could be living in poverty. Earlier this week, a UN study said 81% of the world's workforce of 3.3 billion people had had their place of work fully or partly closed because of the outbreak.
This is a truly global crisis as no country is spared. Countries reliant on tourism, travel, hospitality, and entertainment for their growth are experiencing particularly large disruptions. Emerging market and developing economies face additional challenges with unprecedented reversals in capital flows as global risk appetite wanes, and currency pressures, while coping with weaker health systems, and more limited fiscal space to provide support.
Moreover, several economies entered this crisis in a vulnerable state with sluggish growth and high debt levels. For the first time since the Great Depression, both advanced economies and emerging markets, and developing economies are in a recession.
For this year, growth in advanced economies is projected at -6.1 percent. Emerging market and developing economies with normal growth levels well above advanced economies are also projected to have negative growth rates of -1.0 percent in 2020, and -2.2 percent if you exclude China.
The income per capita is projected to shrink for over 170 countries. Both advanced economies and emerging market and developing economies are expected to partially recover in 2021.
Different sectors of the economy have been hit in different ways by the sudden downturn in work.
Not surprisingly, with travel at a minimum and social lives put on hold, the accommodation and food services industries are among those suffering most, along with manufacturing, wholesale and retail, and real estate and business. Together, they account for nearly 38% of the global workforce, with 1.25 billion people employed in these industries around the world.
To conclude, because of COVID 19, a lot of people are going through financial trouble and a huge crisis is going on. People are losing jobs, losing lives because they are going out to work, and if those people don’t then they will die out of hunger at this point, and them going outside, getting in contact with people has caused some people to get COVID. This is not only happening in India but all over the world. Our economy is gone extremely bad. At this point, the economy is going to break down.
Stay safe, and stay home, for as long as you can!
Article 6: The Western Wildfires
By Jui Bhagwatkar
Burning more than 4.5 million acres of land and killing almost 30 people, the western wildfires have been regarded as some of the worst in the western area of the United States of America. Raging across California, Washington, and Oregon, these uncontrollable fires have destroyed towns and large parts of cities, leaving numerous families homeless and seeking refuge. What can possibly cause such a disaster that can obliterate cities within minutes? The shocking answer is climate change. Later in this article, we will elaborate more on how exactly global warming can lead to such drastic problems in society. Furthermore, we will connect the events that are taking place halfway around the world, with our own city, Mumbai. (See Fig. 1)
Wildfires, also known as rural fires and wildland fires, are raging disasters taking place in forests, or another environment with a lot of combustible material. The size and speed of the fire can increase due to natural factors like wind and environment temperatures, as well as the abundance of vegetation or other combustible material in the area. Most of the wildfires humanity has experienced were induced by natural causes, and only slightly exacerbated by human activity. But as climate temperatures rise on the planet, scientists can see that climate change contributes more to the menacing sizes of recent fires than the natural cause itself.
The Governor of California, Gavin Newsom, emphasizes on the confirmed fact that climate change exacerbated the recent conflagrations in the state. He also mentioned poor wild forest management in the recent years being a cause, but he said that “That's one point, but it's not the point.” (BBC: “US wildfires fuelled by climate change, California governor says”)
Human activity, like mining, tree harvesting, and urbanization, causes air pollutants, like carbon dioxide and methane, to enter the atmosphere. These greenhouse gases trap the heat absorbed by the sun in the atmosphere, causing the Earth to warm. Researchers predict this climate change will lead to drastic weather and temperature changes, in turn affecting millions of species. Scientists recorded a 1-degree celsius increase in overall temperature in California and Oregon since the year 1900. A recent drought in California has turned lush trees into potent combustible fuel. The mountain ranges that were once wet and cool dried out quickly during the summer, creating an ideal environment for a sustained wildfire. Because fires on slopes pre-heat the fuel above, wildfires on these mountains will travel really fast, not giving firefighters enough time to contain them.
Firefighters are working tirelessly fighting these forest fires (see Fig. 2) and organizations are working hard to provide families with refuge. Firefighters are trying to contain the wildfires by taking one branch from the Firefighter's Triangle Diagram (See Fig. 3) out of the picture. Preventing the fire from reaching the fuel is the most common technique used.
Rob Gazzard, a technical advisor from the Forestry and Wildfire Advisory Service, explains that scientists use tools to predict the path of a big Californian wildfire. The firefighters can then go ahead of the fire to remove large sources of fuel from the area. They “...create a fuel break [basically a big trench] around the whole of the fire...” (Tracy Ollerenshaw from BBC Newsbeat) to efficiently deter it.
So fires can be fought, but not without tremendous struggle and sacrifice. In conclusion, the best way to prevent these wildfires from harming our lush forests is to tackle the main cause, climate change.
Generally, California is dry and mountainous, so citizens have to be extra careful to maintain the area’s climate. However, these kinds of natural disasters can take place in almost any city with a hot climate, even in Mumbai! With the large population and staggering pollution rates in our home city, the area’s overall temperature is increasing, making Mumbai hotter than it already is. Mumbai’s wet seasons do help in preventing fires by keeping the ground moist. But, if citizens continue in this lifestyle, the climate will become dry, turning the land into combustible fuel.
Composting, recycling, reusing, carpooling, and using public transport, are things that individuals can do to help the environment and prevent natural disasters. Planting less-flammable trees in places where they are less likely to catch fire will help officials manage forest reserves while improving the environment.
We, as citizens, need to contribute to deterring climate change in order to protect our cities. If we don’t, what will happen to our beautiful planet? (See Fig. 4)
Article 7: Online Predators
By Shweta Joshi
The internet is a complex and intricate global network that enables us to contact people living thousands of miles away from us with just a few clicks on our devices. It has proven to be quite important, and has brought so many people together, especially during this pandemic.
However, there is a dark side to the Internet.
The ugly and disturbing truth is that millions of twisted people use the Internet to sexually and physically exploit innocent children.
There are millions of online predators out there, prowling the Web, probing through children’s social media accounts, in search for their next prey.
There are millions of pedophiles who abuse the Internet and use it to groom and coerce children into sharing inappropriate and degrading images and videos, or even meeting up in person.
According to a study done by the Canadian Centre for Child Protection, children under the age of 12 were depicted in 78.30% of inappropriate videos and images, and out of that, 63.40% were of children even younger than 8 years of age.
Based on data from The National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children, 25% of child sexual abuse material is produced by people who are neighbors or family friends to the victim, 18% is made by their own parents, and 18% is produced by predators online.
This is beyond disgusting, heartbreaking, and infuriating. Children are innocent, vulnerable and very trusting people who are too young to understand the horrors that adults are capable of. Children are not old enough to willingly engage in sexual activity, and are not old enough to give their consent. They are underage, and thus anyone who tries to abuse, rape, or coerce them can be put in jail for years, even decades.
But, of course, most predators and rapists, not just online ones, are not held punishable for their crimes. Some are given barely 1 or 2 years of jail time, while others aren’t even charged. They manipulate, torture, and ruin children’s lives, and walk away without paying for the damage they have done.
Imagine if you were in the victim’s place; young and eyes full of love and curiosity for the world, oblivious to all of the monsters who live among us. You meet someone much older than you online, but who treats you well and is very kind. You begin to grow comfortable with them, and comply with all of their odd and questionable requests.
Imagine an adult in your life who you trusted begins to manipulate and brainwash you into recording and enacting sexual scenes, posting them online and repeatedly exploiting you for your body.
Imagine what it must feel like to grow up in an environment like this, thinking that this is normal. That people using you for your body is okay, and living under the illusion that it is a good thing.
Imagine growing up and having a twisted and contorted image of what love looks like, and nightmares of your abusers plaguing you everyday.
This is in no way right. People like this deserve to be punished for their actions.
So, what can you do to prevent online predators catching hold of children? Firstly, if you are a child yourself, please be very careful on social media platforms. If someone says anything suspicious or vulgar to you, please report them. If you see someone saying something inappropriate to someone else, please report them.
Secondly, spread awareness about this issue. Educate yourself, and all the young people in your life about being safe online. If you ever come across a case, or some sort of petition, please share and sign it.
Article 8: Police Brutality and Security Legislation in France
By jui Bhagwatkar
“Police brutality” refers to human rights violations committed by the local or national police authorities. It is characterized by the excessive use of force by the police in an attempt to control the situation or oppress civilians.
Oppressive police brutality actions can usually be classified into physical or verbal harassment, or identified as the cause of mental or physical injury. Any unpermitted abusive actions against civilians, including the unlawful deployment of weapons by officers against individuals, also counts as police brutality. Cases of police violence can violate individuals’ rights to equal protection under the law, right to feel free and secure, right to be free from discrimination, and sometimes even their right to life.
Many historical cases show the prominence of police brutality and the mistrust in the relationship between the authorities and civilians.
You might be most familiar with the recent killing of an American citizen, George Floyd, after Officer Derek Chauvin pinned his neck under his knee for a long period of time, blocking his intake of oxygen even after Mr. Floyd pleaded for his life. Demonstrators were outraged by the fact that the investigation of the crime and the court trials took very long. They sought justice for the people of the United States, calling for reforms in the justice system and police protocols.
Records show concerning cases of police brutality in our own nation, India. During the Hashimpura massacre in the year 1987, police forces killed at least 42 Muslim men in hope to control the riot taking place in Meerut, Uttar-Pradesh.
Therefore, it is crucial to solve this problem within society to ensure the safety of civilians and maintain the fairness of the pension system.
The following text in this article goes into depth about the recent incidents and succeeding protests regarding police brutality in France, as well as the controversial debate, between the French government and citizens, about police exposure on media.
On November 23rd, the Parisian migrant camp in “Place de la République” was created in resistance against the dismantling of a Saint Denis migrant camp. People started demanding for new centers to be commissioned to aid the displaced migrants from the Saint Denis camp, and the French police authorities were forced to swiftly disperse the protestors and remove the tents.
The day after, French Parliament unanimously voted to draft a legislation security bill prohibiting civilians from publicly sharing photos or videos of on-duty French police officers. Citizens argued that sharing photos and videos of illegal actions by officers was the reason that this issue of police brutality was brought to notice.
Protests were fueled further after the music producer, Michel Zecler, was racially abused and beaten by French police officers in his studio. He reasons that, “If I didn’t have my cameras, I’d be in prison today”.
One Saturday, demonstrators led more than 100 organized peaceful protests against the security bill. Smaller groups violently clashed with the police, launched projectiles at them, and set fire to impromptu barricades on the streets. The French authorities responded by deploying tear gas into the crowds. These protests continued for consecutive weekends, resulting in many people wounded (including 20 injured officers) and 22 citizens detained.
President Emmanuel Macron denounced the police officers involved in the racial beating and acknowledged the fact that "there are police who are violent" and further elaborated that "they need to be punished". The French government justifies their plans for the bill by outlining the purpose of protecting police officers from insolent and deprecating comments on social media about their performance while on duty.
To address the civilians’ concerns, the French president plans to launch an online national platform where unnecessary police checks can be flagged. He further desires to emphasize the wearing of body cams by all officers, so that they can accurately identify illicit usage of excessive force.
History proves that we shouldn’t be frightened to speak up if our rights are being violated. But we also need to recognize that all police officers aren’t this cruel to civilians, and further respect that many officers have the pure intentions of protecting us and our families. We need to respect the fragility and importance of the relationship between civilians and police officers.
The world has gone through difficult situations regarding police brutality and civilian safety, but many people believe that these issues can be dissolved with the right legislative actions. So, what legislation would you believe to be effective in ensuring safety and improving the fragile relationship between civilians and the police?
Article 9: Gender Inequality
By Suhana Mittal
This is not a female fight, it is a human fight! Gender inequality is one of the most prominent and pressing issues in India today. In a study taken in 2019, India is the second most dangerous place for women. In 2019 and 2020 combined, there were 32,690 reported rape cases only in India. There could be more after all these were only the reported ones. Other than rape, there are a lot more problems based on one's sex, which must be addressed.
Firstly, let's talk about neonaticide. Neonaticide is the act of a parent deliberately murdering their child during the first 24 hours after birth. In 1994, the parliament of India enacted the pre-conception and pre-natal diagnostic techniques. As per this act, it is illegal to know the sex of the baby before given birth to. This law was enacted due to the abortion rates taking place when families would find out the baby is a girl; they would opt for abortion. Now, due to this law, the family must wait until the baby is born to find out the sex. Although, now, neonaticide is present in rural areas. After having the baby and finding out it is a girl, the baby girl is killed within her 24 hours of existence. In many rural areas, girls are still known to be a burden on the family. This must end. Ending someone's life based on their sex is unjust and will have major consequences in the future.
Secondly, let's talk about child marriages and dowry. After the primary years of education, a girl is pulled out of school to learn household chores. Before the sexual offences act in 2006, girls would be married off at the earliest age of six to old men around the ages of forty or more. A lot of times when a girl gives the family trouble into marrying, she is fed food to make her faint. Thus, she can get married when she faints. Although now, due to the act, the minimum age for a girl to get married is eighteen years old. Dowry is one of the biggest reasons a girl is known to be a burden on their family. Dowry is an amount of property or money given to the husband by his bride. There have been countless attacks on women because their family was not able to pay the dowry. It is thought of as a way of thanking the groom for taking this burden from them. This is another level of inhumanity and cruelty. Another point to talk about is widows. The man can be married more than once but once a woman loses her husband, she is expected to give up on happiness. She can't even wear colours other than white or have hair in rural areas. All these biased issues on marriage have gone considerably down in the current times but are still present in rural areas. These ideas must stop spreading and come to an end.
Lastly, let’s focus on the solution. Firstly, asking the girl to change her ways, like how she looks and how she acts does not fix things! I have heard this quote so much, “you should try to be more feminine” or “stop acting like such a boy”. That is not a solution! The problem is not with the victim, ever! It is with the society’s mentality. This problem has one and only one solution, A CORRECT MENTALITY. That is the only solution. A poor mentality is the root cause of all discriminative problems and a correct mentality is the only thing that can reverse this problem. The saddest thing to watch is a woman not standing up for her own sex and promoting patriachy and male dominence. There are a lot of women and men facing injustice, and the sooner we begin, the sooner we get our results. Spread the word, sign petitions and make sure to stand up for such issues. Doing so, slowly makes the world a greater place.