A dowry is a payment, such as land property, monetary, cattle or any commercial asset that is paid by the bride's family … See more

A dowry is the transfer of parental property to a daughter at her marriage (i.e. "inter vivos") rather than at the owner's death (mortis causa). (This is a completely different definition of dowry to that given at the top of t… See more

Anthropologist Jack Goody's comparative study of dowry systems around the world utilizing the Ethnographic Atlas demonstrated that dowry is a form of inheritance found in the broad swath of Eurasian societies … See more

Even in the oldest available records, such as the Code of Hammurabi in ancient Babylon, the dowry is described as an already-existing custom. Daughters did not normally inherit any of her father's estate. Instead, wit… See more

Dowry is a common practice in many parts of the world, especially in South Asia and several Middle East and North Africa countries. Dowry is most common in nations with inadequate male-biased inheritance … See more

Disputes related to dowry sometimes result in violence against women, including killings and acid attacks. Amnesty International has stated:
[T]he ongoing reality of dowry-related violence is … See more