A/HRC/20/16 dowry law in 1976, Bangladesh in 1980 and Nepal in 2009. Despite legislative reforms, dowry is an indispensable part of weddings in this region; it has been a cause of violence against women,91 and the laws have failed to have an impact in curbing dowry or elevating the status of women within marriage.92 58. In several cases in Bangladesh, dowry-related harassment of women has been aggravated to acid attacks, leading to blindness, disfigurement and death of women. 93 In 2002, Bangladesh passed a law imposing the death penalty on offenders and also restricted the sale of acid, in response to the growing problem of acid attacks. 94 In the first half of 2009, 119 cases of dowry-related violence, including 78 deaths, were reported. In 2008, 172 women were killed, and the figure for 2007 was 187.95 59. Statistics for the period 2007 to 2009 show that there have been between 8,093 and 8,383 reported cases of dowry deaths in India. 96 As noted by experts, the numbers of reported cases do not add up to conviction rates. The National Crime Records Bureau of India reports that for 2008 there were 1,948 convictions, as against 3,876 acquittals.97 Acid attacks are also becoming a growing phenomenon in India, with young women being targeted for spurning suitors and for rejecting proposals of marriage, as well as in connection with contestation over dowry.98 60. Human rights bodies have strongly condemned these practices.99 Experts argue that there is a need to address the underlying cultural concerns, such as the subordinate status of women within their birth/natal and marital homes; issues of property and ownership within these realms; the control of women‘s sexuality; the stigma attached to divorce; and the lack of support for a woman after she is married.100 6. Killings of aboriginal and indigenous women 61. Aboriginal and indigenous women and girls experience extremely high levels of violence. The social, cultural, economic and political marginalization of aboriginal and indigenous women globally, along with a negative legacy of colonialism, historic racist government policies and the consequences of economic policies, has driven an alarming number of these women into extremely vulnerable situations. For example, the effect of certain economic policies imposed on the Central America region has exacerbated the vulnerability of indigenous women, and has forced them to migrate both internally and regionally. They have been pressed into low-skilled and low-paid jobs, mainly in maquila factories, domestic service, the sex trade and prostitution, under precarious and exploitative conditions. 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 http://www.gorkhapatra.org.np/rising.detail.php?article_id=45558&cat_id=7 Supra note 90. Law Commission of India, Report submitted to the Honorable Supreme Court of India for its consideration in the pending proceedings filed by one Laxmi in W.P. (Crl.) No. 129 of 2006 on ―The Inclusion of Acid Attacks as Specific Offences in the Indian Penal Code and a law for Compensation for Victims of Crime‖, July, 2008, Report No. 226 (2009), p. 3. In 2002, the Parliament of Bangladesh enacted two laws against acid violence: Under the Acid Control Act of 2002, the unlicensed production, import, transport, storage, sale, and use of acid can result in a prison term of 3-10 years. Those who possess chemicals and equipment for the unlicensed production of acid can get the same prison term. http://www.irinnews.org/report.aspx?reportid=86100 Supra note 90. Ibid. Ibid. See CERD/C/IND/CO/19, CEDAW/C/IND/CO/3, CEDAW/C/TUN/CO/6, CRC/C/BGD/CO/4, E/C.12/IND/CO/5. Kishwar, Madhu, (2005). ‗Destined to Fail - Inherent Flaws in the Anti Dowry Legislation‘. Manushi, (148), May-June, pp. 3-12. 15