Plans of #Hindu marriages held up in #Pakistan

A proposed law on Hindu marriages had been held up as it “bounced back and forth between different official bodies”, said a leading Pakistani daily Monday.

An editorial in the Dawn observed that though the current National Assembly has passed some important laws during its tenure, its performance has remained tardy in other areas where legislation is direly needed. As many as 176 private members’ bills are pending approval, with some dating back to 2008.

Considering that the life of the Assembly is limited, it is unlikely they will be passed into law, said the daily, adding that all laws are important, yet some of the pending bills concern long-standing issues that require immediate attention.

“These include a law relating to the legal status of Hindu marriages in Pakistan. Some minority activists say the Hindus Marriage Bill 2011 has been held up as it was introduced without consulting stakeholders. There are also indications that some members of the Hindu clergy have issues with certain clauses of the bill.

‘The proposed law has also bounced back and forth between different official bodies, perhaps a victim of the legal confusion that has prevailed following devolution. For example there is considerable debate over whether the centre can legislate on Hindu marriages, or if such matters now purely fall within the provincial domain,’ the editorial added.

It said homework should have been done and consensus achieved before tabling the law, which has already been delayed for too long. ‘Due to the lack of a marriage registration mechanism Hindu women in particular face multiple issues. These include problems with accessing state benefits as well as making it easier, as minority activists claim, for Hindu women to be abducted, forcibly converted and married,’ it added.

The daily regretted that ‘both the state and the minorities’ elected representatives have failed to legislate on this key issue. We hope the law is passed soon to give Hindu marriages legal sanction and all the benefits that go with it.’

Source: IANS

Nearly Half of World’s Child Marriages Occur In India

Contemporary India continues to be plagued by social and health ills like child marriage, early motherhood and domestic violence.  More than 40 percent of the world’s child marriages still occur in India. More than 60 million women worldwide who are between 20 and 24 years were married before they turned 18. Latest records in the ‘State of the World‘s Children report 2012’ released by UNICEF revealed that almost 22 percent women in India, who are now aged between 20 and 24 years gave birth to a child before they turned 18.

Almost 45 in every 1,000 births are born to mothers in the age group of 15-19. Around 57 percent of male adolescents (age 15-19) and 53 percent of female adolescents thought a husband was justified in beating up his wife under certain circumstances.

The report revealed that only 35 percent adolescent males (aged 15-19) and 19 percent adolescent females have a comprehensive knowledge of HIV. Almost 33 percent of children under the age of five in urban India and 46 percent in rural India are underweight.

Around two in four people in urban India and one in five in rural India use improved sanitation facilities. India ranks 46 and is among the 50 worst nations with the highest under-five mortality rate.

The report suggested that school attendance is lower in slums. A survey in Delhi found a primary school attendance rate of 54.5 percent among children living in slums in 2004–2005, compared with 90 percent for the city as a whole.

The report also threw light on child trafficking. It was seen that at any given time, nearly 2.5 million people are in forced labor as a result of trafficking, 22 to 50 percent of them are children. One study indicated that most trafficked girls are put to work as sex workers in major Indian cities like Mumbai, Delhi and Kolkata.

43 percent of children under the age of five are underweight with 16 percent being severely undernourished, 20 percent are wasted and 48 percent are stunted.

It was noted that 18 percent children between the years 2000-2010 were married by the age of fifteen and 47 percent were married by the age of eighteen. 5 percent of male and 30 percent female adolescents aged 15-19 are currently married/in union.

Karin Hulshof, UNICEF representative to India said to Times of India “A child born in a slum in urban India is as likely to die before her or his first birthday, to become underweight or anemic or to be married off before her 18th, as a child in rural India. Unfortunately for the urban poor child, the situation is most of the time not as visible and gets diluted by a much rosier picture of urban life. Great inequities are found within towns and cities, where great opportunity and great deprivation exist side by side.” He added that “Child brides become mothers much before their bodies are physically mature.”

World Health Organization‘s executive board meeting in Geneva had also taken up the issue recently. As per WHO, half the girls in early marriage live in south-east Asia. According to the National Family Health Survey, about 10 million girls are married each year before the age of 18 worldwide and one third of them live in India. Child marriage is now prohibited by law in India, with the minimum age of marriage being 18 for girls and 21 for boys. Though the latest available government survey found 48 percent of women (aged 20-24) were married or are in union before the age of 18.

Majority of Indian Women are Single; Why?

The 2011 India‘s census revealed that there are only 940 women for every 1000 men. Though the number is very close margin, it is found that majority of Indian women are single. What is stopping them from mingling or choosing a life partner? Are Indian men hostile beings that they do want to interact with?
Well here are few reasons that were listed out:

1. Where are all the good men?

Women these days are lot more educated, independent and are assertive. The attitude of women in the last decade has changed exceptionally. The exposure to workplaces, responsibilities and pressures have made them a lot more confident about their decisions and are able to read or judge men in various ways.

Most Indian women these days have taken the risk of experimenting with relationships and sexuality. It has made them bolder than ever. No more marriage is a must and should policy and society prerequisite. They are defining their own terms and conditions. The only thing that most women look for is “compatibility”.

They are always on the lookout for the right balance. Neha Mehta is 36, attractive and still single. Neha lives with her parents, has no siblings and stands to inherit a fair fortune from her father. She has received numerous proposals and has even dated a few men, but there isn’t a ring in sight.

“Some men I’ve met were blessed with healthy bank balances, but they also had serious attitude problems to go with these,” she explains. “And men I’ve met who’ve been perfectly amiable and charming wouldn’t be able to support my lifestyle. It’s hard to find the right balance.” As quoted by idiva.

2. Work comes first

The fast growing economy, the competitive world of the corporates and a constant battle between male counterparts for higher posts have made Indian women put work before marriage. Educated, well focused women prioritize their career over marriage and say that marriage can still wait.

Intellectual, well-read women, after all, now realize that marriage is not a fairy tale. Security of the job has become very important. Some of the other reasons are – Inflated egos and problems to compromise has become a serious issue among women.

Marriage which comes as package with many compromises is not well accepted by women these days and many end up in divorces as well. Some women are turning out to be workaholics as well.

Why Do Women Gain Weight Post Marriage

Ever wondered why the evergreen Tina Munim, the beautiful Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, and the stunning Neetu Singh have looked bulkier after marriage?

Every girl dreams to look best on her wedding day and puts in all her efforts to tone the body in order to look stunning in her wedding dress. You go on a strict diet regime to impress your love. But what happens after the ring is put?

Studies show that weight gain until two years of marriage increases upto 20 pounds.

Below are a few reasons why women put on weight after marriage-

* Pregnancy

One of the main reasons for weight gain post marriage and the most important phase in every woman’s life – Pregnancy, It’s when a woman takes extra care of herself.

Women are more focused on staying healthy and hence become less active, and also tend to overeat during this period. Since they are restricted to certain food items, they happen to eat less healthy foods and this worsens the problem. Post pregnancy, the child become the center of attention and women stay at home, looking after the family and catering to the child’s needs.

It is advisable for expecting mothers to watch their weight, eat healthy food and spare some sometime for exercise.

* Less exercise

A woman’s responsibilities multiply after marriage which does not give her time to exercise.

Now that they have their priorities of looking after their husbands and children, women reduce paying attention to themselves. They get so engrossed in cleaning the diapers, setting the house and other chores that the exercise from their schedule get eliminates, thus resulting in weight gain.

* Cooking

Most women after marriage fall in love with the kitchen and spend a lot of time cooking and feeding the family. The more they are appreciated; the motivated they get to cook more. All the cheese, cakes and pizzas become a part of the meal to impress the family with their culinary skills.

* Eat more

Marriage involves celebration; and this means more of eating. The list of dinners and lunches never ends and women don’t realize how many pounds they would have gained in that process.
If the partner has a heavier appetite, women too end up increasing theirs. And sometimes they are forced to eat more in order to look good.

Also, when there is a child in the house, mothers end up finishing the left-over food, leaving aside their taste, such that the food doesn’t go waste.

Related articles

• Aishwarya Rai Bachchan will become mother to 11/11/11 (freshnewsdaily.org)

Marketing

You see a gorgeous girl at a party.
You go up to her and say, “I am very rich. Marry me!”
That’s Direct Marketing…

You’re at a party with a bunch of friends and see a gorgeous girl.
One of your friends goes up to her and pointing at you and says,
“He’s very rich. Marry him.”
That’s Advertising…

You see a gorgeous girl at a party.
You go up to her and get her telephone number. The next day you call and say,
“Hi, I’m very rich. Marry me.”
That’s Telemarketing…

You’re at a party and see a gorgeous girl.
You get up and straighten your tie; you walk up to her and pour her a drink. You open the door for her; pick up her bag after she drops it, offer her a ride, and then say, “By the way, I’m very rich. Will you marry me?”
That’s Public Relations…

You’re at a party and see a gorgeous girl.
She walks up to you and says, “You are very rich.” Will you marry me?”
That’s Brand Recognition…

You see a gorgeous girl at a party.
You go up to her and say, “I’m rich. Marry me”.
She gives you a nice hard slap on your face.
That’s Customer Feedback…

You see a gorgeous girl at a party.
You go up to her and say: “I am very rich. Marry me!”
And she introduces you to her husband.
That’s demand and supply gap…

You see a gorgeous girl at a party.
You go up to her and before you say anything, another person come and tell her:
“I’m rich. Will you marry me?” and she goes with him.
That’s competition in your market share…

You see a gorgeous girl at a party.
You go up to her and before you say: “I’m rich, Marry me!”
Suddenly your wife enters the scene.
That’s restriction to enter new markets…

Top 10 Reasons for Divorce

Relationships have become complex in the modern days. ‘Marriage’ which once said that ‘made in heaven ‘failed to bring heavenly joy among modern couples. Compatibility and mutual understanding is the major problem which modern couples are facing in these days. Shift in the role and responsibility of the parents bringing lot of tensions in the family system.

Children who grow up in such negative atmosphere have lot of effects. Heated tensions, unfulfilled desires and misunderstandings will lead the couples to end their relationships. Break ups have become so common and the divorce rate has been increasing tremendously. What are the reasons for divorce? Why relationships are falling apart?

Here are the top 10 reasons for divorce in modern days.

1. Infidelity

Mutual trust is the base of most of the relationships. Relationships do break up when either of the partners deceive to other. Infidelity is the important reason for divorce. When partners become unfaithful to one another the relationship will end up and divorce become the solution to enjoy legal freedom.

2. Communication Breakdown

Lack of communication creates lot of gaps among couples. Such gaps lead to lot of misunderstandings between them. Communication problem is not because they can’t express their feelings to one another. The ‘ego’ stops them to be open up to one other. If they don’t speak for a longer time that stops two ways communication then there is a danger of ending their relationship. 

3. Physical, Emotional or Psychological Abuse

Any abuse brings lot of pain in all the relationships. Marriage is the bond which is completely made up of mutual dependencies and expectations. Physical abuse, including bullying, manhandling, or violence is quite unbearable and has clear grounds for divorce. Emotional or psychological abuse hurts the emotions of a partner and the chances are very less to stay back with an abusive person.

4. Marital Financial Issues

Financial strains are often the biggest reasons for the collapse of a marriage. Possible causes for the disagreement over unequal monetary status or financial responsibilities can cause so much of stress in their relationship that leads to their divorce.

5. Sexual Incompatibility

Sexual act contributes a lot to the successful marital life. Physical bond is necessary to build a strong emotional bond with the respective partner. Feel of satisfaction brings each other’s closer and avoids lot of complexities. Sexual dissatisfaction often leads to frustration leading to separation and divorce. Sexual and reproductive incompatibility could be the top of the reasons for divorce. But if the sexual drives of both partners are totally out of synchronization then it is better take any psychological or medical help.

6. Boredom

Couples often get bored off from their monotonous lifestyle. While compatible couples stay together at such times, some couples get disinterested, grow distantly and eventually fall apart. Trying new things, like eating out, watching movie, traveling to exotic places can shift their life to the right track. Keeping the spirit of life is not an easy thing at all. Active participation in different activities makes them to understand each others interests in better terms. When partner respect others interest that automatically brings lot of joy at the two ends

7. Religious and Cultural Strains

Marriage between different religion, culture and ethnicity is a common trend in these days. Living with a different cultural background is not an easy thing at all. There has to be lot of adjustments and sacrifices from both the sides. The Couples of a different religion, culture or ethnicity sometimes do not take up the expectations of their partner’s religion and often cause resentment among them. The differences are mainly due to the several taboos posed by a culture. Mutual compromise can only solve this issue and save partners too.

8. Child Rearing

Child rearing is one of the sensitive issues causing rifts in the marriages and contributing as one of the major reasons for splitting or divorce. If one of the partners is totally reluctant towards child-rearing issues, then the reason can be enough to provoke the petition of divorce by the parent. It’s not fair to blame only the mother since her role has been extending and responsibility should be felt equally from both the parents.

9. Addiction

Over use of alcohol, drug or gambling are usually all forms of addiction, which can ruin relationships. The problem becomes worst when combined with physical or verbal abuse, and can leave devastating emotional scars on the whole family, including children also. Addiction will definitely make you to lose your interests in the family affairs. It’s better to be conscious about our habits before getting addict.

10. Differences in Expectations and Priorities

It’s difficult to get reflexive partner in the life. Each person thinks differently since each one have unique backgrounds. As everyone has got different personality traits, the different priorities, perceptions and expectations towards life are also found to be alike. Sometimes the couples are so drastically different that they cannot cope up living together and wish their marriage to an end. One can avoid it by understanding each others differences over a course of time and there will be ways to solve such differences.

 Divorce is not the only solution for all couples problems. It can relieve the individuals from the suffocative state but not from the suffering.

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Are Marriages a Heavenly or Costly Affair?

‘Marriages are made in heaven’ is what most Indians believe and to celebrate this heavenly affair, Indians spend a lot and they do it in style. In fact, Marriages in India have created a market of their own and has become a potential business for many that can be passed on from father to son. But with soaring inflation and growing expenses, families are now compromising on the scale of the marriages.

The pomp with which marriages were performed has lost its sheen and has become a more toned down ceremony. Families of Brides and Bridegrooms are turning out to be stinger to cut down on their budget the expenses.

“People are now a little more cost conscious these days because they’re worried about the economic slowdown”, says Sudha Khanna, a wedding planner.

“I’d say I’ve seen people pull back by about 5 to 10 percent in terms of how much is spent on a wedding in comparison to last year,” she said.

More than calling it a heavenly affair , marriages in India have been branded as a costly affair because every thing in the ceremony comes with a price tag starting from the holy man, the ‘purohit’ to the laborers who decorate the mantap.

The ‘holy’ men too have hiked their prices. Purohits are charging anything between 5,000- Rs 10,000 for performing a wedding. “The wedding season is the only time we earn a substantial sum and our cost of living too has gone up,” says K.Jayaprakash Sastry , a purohit from Sainikpuri.

It’s estimated that over 15 million weddings take place in India every year, providing work for businesses ranging from wedding planners in fancy hotels to the bustling streets and alleys of Mumbai‘s flower markets.

But because of the economic crisis, cost consciousness is creeping in to these celebrations, and affecting all sectors of the wedding industry.

Another sector that is cashing on in the price hike is the beauty industry. Beauty parlors in the city are charging anything between 3,000- 8,000 for ‘bridal make-up’ which might or might not include bridal mehendi. Bridal mehendi is charged anything between 800 to 1500. “For a middle class bride like me spending so much on bridal makeup and mehendi sounds too lavish, so I have decided to lessen the burden for my parents,” says M.Neha.

For the lower middle class and the poor, impending marriages in the family are looked upon as a threat to their existence. “I couldn’t afford to perform my daughter’s wedding. So I got her married in the mass weddings organised by Tirumala Tirupathi Devasthanams,” said L.Venkataih, a peon with a national bank.

Snigdha Reddy, a software engineer, whose sister got married in April of 2008, feels that it’s high time the bridegrooms realize how heavy the cost of performing a marriage is. Her cousin who got married in 2007 spent nearly 2 lakh less than what they did this year. “The amount charged by the photographer and videographer apart from the floral decorators was overpriced,” she says.

In an interview with Karishma Vaswani, Business correspondent of BBC News, Rajesh Rataria said that “Couples are being more careful these days”, he says. “I’ve seen a 35% drop in business in terms of expensive honeymoon packages.”

“It’s not that young married couples aren’t travelling, it’s that they’re choosing less expensive packages.”

“Whereas before you’d see a lot of young people head off to the Caribbean or to Europe right after they got married, now people are staying closer to home, choosing Singapore or Malaysia instead.”

“Everyone’s worried about saving money – no one knows what’s in store next year,” he said.

Rajesh Rataria runs Cirrus Travels, a travel agency that’s been based in Mumbai for over a decade.

Related articles

• Make it yours (marriedinmelbourne.wordpress.com)
• Insolvency Service Warns consumers about wedding costs (cleardebt.co.uk)
• The Heavenly Marriage (barefootpreachr.org)
• Marriage Equals Happily Fatter After (fitsugar.com)