As society evolves, laws must evolve with it. Unfortunately, when it comes to family laws—especially alimony and maintenance—our legal framework still stereotypes. Lawmakers and courts continues to view women as lifelong dependents on a husband’s income, despite the reality that today’s women are educated, employed, and financially independent.
Ironically, while governments run hundreds of schemes aimed at women’s financial empowerment, the legal system still assumes dependency at the time of marital breakdown. This contradiction raises a serious question: Is the law truly empowering women, or is it preserving outdated assumptions?
“This is dependency not empowerment”, Kumar S Ratan
This blog argues for a much-needed reform – Provision of Zero Alimony for Short-Term Marriages.
Today’s Time
- Women participate actively in the workforce
- Remarriage is increasingly common and socially accepted
- Financial independence is no longer an exception
Still our laws function as if every marriage permanently disables a woman’s ability to earn. On contrary that short term marriages which has lasted in few months or in few years, has no much impact on spouse finance, it do not have any significant impact on their career.
Provision of alimony in short marriages often turn into:
- A pressure tactic during divorce negotiations
- A means of financial extortion
- A tool to harass not just the husband, but also his family
This misuse of process of law does not protect women—but it damages the credibility of genuine cases and destroys families through prolonged legal conflict.
Empowerment Vs Permanent Dependency
If a woman is capable to manage business or corporate life are also capable of rebuilding their lives, like men. Allowing women to get a lifetime alimony from husband is like making them permanent dependent on their ex-husband’s hard earned money.
So where there is dependency there is no empowerment, we believe.
Zero Alimony is Justice
Demanding Zero Alimony for short-term marriages is not anti-women. It is pro-justice, pro-equality, and pro-reform.
Laws must protect the vulnerable—but they must also prevent misuse. Law must reflect current social realities, not outdated stereotypes.
