“Livelihoods and health hazards: With special reference to reproductive health of rural women

Abstract

Health is considered as a fundamental human right. It is a country where 68.80% of the population resides in a rural area and males significantly outnumber females. Health is considered as a fundamental human right. Health of women is not merely a state of physical well being but also an expression of many roles they play as wives, mothers, health care providers in the family and in the changed scenario even as wage earners. Reproductive health implies that people including men and women are able to have a satisfying safe sex life and they have the capability to reproduce and the freedom to decide if, when and how often to do so. It includes family planning services, access to contraception, counseling and information, antenatal, postnatal and delivery care, healthcare for infants, treatment for reproductive tract infections and sexually transmitted diseases, safe abortion services where legal and management of abortion related complications, prevention and appropriate treatment for infertility, information, education and counseling on human sexuality, reproductive health and responsible parenting and discouragement of harmful practices. Health plays important role in the generation of livelihoods of rural people in general and women in particular. Reproductive Health of women is neglected area and new reproductive health problems are increasing such as infection in uterus, breast cancer, and sexually transmitted disease. Well being of reproductive health of rural women enhances the chances of livelihood of rural women. The present study addresses all the issues concerning with livelihoods and reproductive health and this study was carried in Solapur and Kolhapur districts of Western Maharashtra. The objectives of study are to understand the socio-economic background of selected rural women for proposed project and to know the issues related rural women's reproductive health and availability of reproductive health care in rural areas. 200 married women respondents in age group of 18–25 were selected for study. Still fifty percentage of rural women are only unaware about the reproductive health and gender discrimination should be addressed and it is necessary to create the awareness about reproductive health among males