China is considering tougher laws against sex-selective abortion; meanwhile, the Sunday Times of India had a full page spread on the now popular trend in Haryana to import wives from poorer states like Kerala, West Bengal and Assam (see here also for an interview with a sociologist who is studying the phenomenon). These are states where women have comparatively more freedom of movement and are better educated, and often the transition to the staunchly patriarchal society in which they are married into is a tough one. Why do they choose such arrangements, you may ask? Because they come from poor backgrounds and are not attractive brides if they cannot offer much dowry (even though dowry traditionally didn’t even exist in Kerala and Assam!), and usually they are older than 30 and seen to be well past marriageable age. Looking on the bright side, these marriages not only have no dowry, but are overcoming caste and regional barriers, despite the grim necessity that is pushing people to such limits.
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