Save Indian Family Foundation (SIFF), Children’s Rights Initiative for Shared Parenting (CRISP) and All India Mothers-in-Law Protection Forum (AIMPF) are pro-family NGOs creating awareness in the society about rampant family-breaking being done by misuse of dowry harassment laws, domestic violence laws, maintenance laws and child custody laws.

On the eve of International Family Day, i.e. on May 14, the above NGOs had conducted a joint press conference and stressed upon the importance of strong families and fatherly role models for children and society. They had also asked the Indian Govt. to take immediate steps to stop family breaking due to misuse of dowry laws, violation of civil liberties of innocents under Section 498A, Domestic Violence laws and promote family harmony. Additionally, they had declared a month long campaign called, “Family Breaking Awareness Campaign”.

As part of the campaign the following two activities have been completed and hence this press release.

Copies of the reports have also been sent to the Law Commission of Karnataka (prepared at their request), Law Commission of India and the Union Ministry of Law and Justice in the month of October 2009.

About the reports:

The following are the main highlighting points of the above 2 reports.

The Perils of Section 498A of IPC – A Report on Changes Required:

1. A brief technical explanation of the Section 498A of IPC and the modus operandi of its misuse with some curious and famous cases highlighting one or the other lacunae of the criminal justice system.
2. Locus Standi of Experts on Section 498A which includes views of the higher judiciary, some eminent lawyers, noted women’s rights activist Madhu Kishwar, Chairperson of the National Commission for Women Dr. Girija Vyas to name a few.
3. The various impacts created by Section 498A on the Government, Police, Elders,   Professional lives of individuals implicated in false 498A cases, and Psychological impact on individuals in particular and the society at large.
4. The fact that Section 498A and the processes around it at various stages like complaint stage, FIR and bail stage, trial stage have made “Suicide – The only way out of a broken marriage for husbands” along with illustrative examples spread over the bandwidth of social strata and case stages.

Rationalization of Alimony Laws:

The main highlighting points of the report on alimony are:-

1. Alimony – Its Origin.
2. Cases where Alimony/Maintenance is justified.
3. Cases where Alimony/Maintenance is thoroughly unjustified.
4. The Rural vs. Urban Women Divide.
5. A recent shift of attitude in the western countries with some case studies.
6. The needed rationalizations.

We have planned more activities for the Family Breaking Awareness Month for each of the coming two weeks and shall update the media friends about the same, as and when, the activities commence.

We request our media friends to participate with us in the campaign to “Save Indian Family” by giving this campaign wide and huge publicity.

Thanks and Regards

SIFF, CRISP and AIMPF