FACTS ABOUT INDIA:
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India has a population of 1.6 billion people
44 million children are destitute
12.44 million children are orphaned
18 million children live on the streets
12.9 million children are forced into child labor
5 million children are involved in prostitution
80% of the population is Hindu, 2.3 % are Christians
59.5 % literacy rate
The caste system has been a feature of Indian society for many centuries. This system ranks people according to their social status or occupation. The modern day caste system has 4 levels:
forward, backward, most backward and scheduled tribes ( also known as the untouchables or dalits )
In poor rural villages the caste system dictates your occupation, education and marriage rights. There are an estimated 160 million dalits. The definition of a dalit is ” oppressed or suppressed ” . They are the poorest of all the people in India and have few rights. The average income for a dalit is $ 30.00 - $ 40.00 a month.
India still uses the “dowry” or ” Dahej even though it was prohibited by law in 1961. Dowry is a payment to the bridegrooms family prior to giving away of the bride. This puts an increase burden on the families with female children, as they will be require to provide a dowry to find a husband for their daughters. The higher the dowry the better the husband that can be found. Unfortunately, this practice leads to the killing of many infant female children.