Reinterpret the Dowry

Parents provide a dowry to go along with their daughter when she marries a man.

Women enter a marriage with assets of their own.

A large dowry can help a new couple buy a house, start a farm [i.e. make money of their own], or simply live comfortably.

The real problem is that the woman is not an agent in acquiring the dowry. She is probably active in reaping the benefits, but that is never mentioned. Unfortunately, in the past, she has not been able to profess ownership of the income either. However women without a dowry were just as likely to marry as a man without means to an income.