Reproductive Health: State, Society and Feminist Perceptions XX Annual Meet of the medico friend circle
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- Title
- Reproductive Health: State, Society and Feminist Perceptions XX Annual Meet of the medico friend circle
- Date
- 1994
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medico friend circle
Bldg. 4, Flat 408, Vahatuk Nagar,
Amboli, Andheri(W), Bombay - 400 058.
Ravi Duggal, Convenor.
Date : 17.6 '94
To All mfc members and sympathisers
Dear friend,
Greetings from the new convenor's office ! On 31st March 1994 Manisha's tenure as the mfc convenor
ended and I have stepped into her shoes.
Manisha conveys her thanks for the affection and cooperation she received from all friends during her
convenorship.
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My convenorship coincides with my new job which involves a lot of travel, especially in the states of
Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh. This means both, that all friends must provide the
necessary support to the convenor's office more actively than before, as well as must be more tolerant if
there are delays in communication ! But this also means that wherever I am travelling and I know about
mfc friends in that area I will make a special endeavour to meet them. Please make a note of the new mfc
address at the top right hand comer.
'i
My immediate agenda for the remaining part of the year is :
1.
Increase members of our friend circle, for which all of you must put in some effort. If your own
membership is due for renewal, please send in your money order/demand draft immediately in /
the name of'medico friend circle'.
2.
Increase the number of subscribers for the mfc bulletin, especially life-subscriptions. If most of
you can become life-subscribers (only Rs.300/- for individuals and Rs. 500/- for institutions) it will
be good for the bulletin's health in the long run. Please also encourage your interested friends to
become subscribers/life-subscribers.
3.
Finally, the agenda for the 'Annual Meet' of 1994/95 has to be worked out. For this I need your
seggestions immediately,
I close with my best wishes and a hope that with your support and affection we can together strengthen
the role that mfc can play in the health movement.
In solidarity,
Ravi Duggal
mfc Convenor.
Encl: I. Report of the Annual Meet
2. List of Participants.
SJO •
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REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH: STATE, SOCIETY AND FEMINIST PERCEPTIONS
XX ANNUAL MEET OF THE MEDICO FRIEND CIRCLE
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In Febniary 1983 the medico friend circle made a pioneering attempt at defining the problematic of the relationship of women
with the medical system, a relationship whcili was becoming increasingly tense in the context of a emerging women's
movement. For most of the participants, within the mtc and outside it, tire meeting has always stood out as having been
fraught with somewhat desperate attempts at arriving at a minimum understanding, at finding a common language which
could address both tire concerns of a burgeoning feminist moveemnt and a progressive medical fraternity critically aware of
the limitations of medicine and its practice. A report of the evaluation of tire meet (compiled painstakingly by Mira Sadgopal)
points out that among the major drawbacks was firstly, tire lack of a common oriention among participants, and secondly, tire
lack of an attempt to clarify the issue of what sexism actually is and to lay out generally acceptable assumptions as well as to
delineate areas of controversy between the expected participants points of view. Much has happened in the decade after that
meet. But it would seem from tliis meet that we have at last found a language, an understanding of the different perspectives
which inform people's point of view. The focus of tire meet evolved out of our common concern about the different
meanings that were being given to the concept of reporductive health. We felt that there was a need to define through dialogue
and discussion why our understanding of reproductive health was different from the way it was being projected now. To
arrive at a common platfonn from wliich we could discuss, we decided to devote an entire day of the three day meetto discuss
social construction of reproductionand how different agencies, the state, society,and feminists have perceived it. Swatija
presented a discussion paper written by the fbnun for women's health. What do we mean by reproductive health ? While
biology mediates and determines the man-woman relationship, reproduction is very much a social construct and an
understanding of reproductive health moves between tliese two arenas of pour lives. When we talk of reproduction, the first
issue that comes to mind is a woman’s fertility,cycle wluch has for ages generated awe. And yet this biological phenomenon
has received a social construct-and reproduction has been identified as a woman's responsibility, by the same logic, the
expression of sexuality is also tailored to suit the definiion of normality prevalent in society, thus normal sexuality is
heterosecuality leading to reproduction and to the begetting of a male cliild thus in order to control a woman's fertility her
sexuality and its expressiomn had to be tailored . Automatically, contraception becomes a woman's responsibility. At the
other end, all sorts of sexual abuse of women gets condoned because tliese get associated with a man's virility wliich
is'normal'. Following from this a woman's reproductive health gets defined only as awomen's health in their role as
reproducers witliin marriage. All other aspects of women's lives are totally negated and so, by definition the health of a laige
number of women who do not fall in this 'normal' category gets neglected.
In reality women are producers and reproducers and therefore tire contradictions of their lives as producers must necessarily
comprise a component of women's reproductive health. Similarly, we have to define reproductive health to include the health
of women in all age and Status groups in society such as the very old and the very young, the widows, the uunmarried/or the
unmarriageable.
Science, medicine and health care system have contributed to and adopted society's notions of reproductive health and have
in consequences neglected a large area of the health of women, this norm has also further strengthened the trend to intervene
in normal processes of the human body to manipulate and change the fertility status incorporating the same anti-woman
biases . this also influences the type of research winch is done, for instance, while the phuysiology of reproduction is
researched, th ebiochemrcal and other changes which occur inthe course of reprocution are not so well understood.
A consequence of this is that in our minds today, questions of contractption controlling fertility and handling infertility have
become questions of teclinology of getting the right method, with the social aspects becomeing secondary. This
understanding pervades the entire biomedical sphere as well as the programmes such as family planning and MCH
programmes. This invasive attack of technoogy together with the taking over by the state of all the terminology and concepts
with which women have begun to unite and to redefine themselves are detrimental to women empowerment and must be
critically understood. We have to look and redefine reprocuctive health in a way which empowers women.
Also contributing to the discussion were two background papers : one published in the me bulletin (August-December
1993)by Veena Shatrugna and the other in the EPW (December 18, 1993) by Padma Prakash. Veena’s paper reports on a
study exploring the relationship between women's work for income, access and utilisation of health care and women's health
status and comes up surprising findings.For instance, that incomes alone do not affect women's utilisation of health care
facilities even though working for an income increases women's morbidities. This cannot be tackled unless the roots of
women's illness and the social construction of gender changes such that the man-woman roles and expectations change along
with socio-economic status. Padma's paper presented a background to the evolution of the new reproductive health being
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proposed as a model for women’s health, what it comprises and the consequences of its implementation for women's health.
The presentation was followed by parallel group discussion aimed at arriving at an understanding some of tire issues raised in
Swatija’s paper. Not surprisingly, the discussion were wide ranging depending on the composition and the inclination of the
group. And while the reporting of the groups at the end of the session could hardly be said to have contributed to a general
clarity on the various issues, it was apparent that participants took off whatever particular glasses that they nonnally wore to
consider issues anew' and come to terms with the tensions within the given dominant social construction of reproduction and
hence of sexuality or man-woman relationship and of women’s staus. It would be unpossible to capture the nuances and the
depth of discussions in some of the groups. Here we touch upon the more concrete points of discussion- construction of
manhood’womanhood; concept of normalcy related to reproduction and sexuality, role of science and teclinology in
structuring these gender roles; impact of medicalisation and commoditisation on gender roles and relationships; social class as
a factor in the social construction of gender.
The given stereotypes we internalise and are conditioned into accepting are of the woman as being non-aggressive, nurturing
and men as being aggressive. Ihese stereotypes are institutionalised not only in day to day living but in academic enquiry as
well For instance, in econoomics these stereotypes of ’natural family* have led to concepts of subsistence family wage which
accept as correct the unequal distribution within the family. Or for instance, the concept of minimum wages which are
unequal for men and women. The internalisation of these stereotypes has lead to a disastrous lack of appreciation of
women’s bodies being different. Medicine assumes that women are different only in relation to the sex organs and to an
extent their psychlogical make-up.,, but when it comes to diseases in general, it is always assumed that the course is the same
in man and woman and therefore the intricacies of how a certain therapy works is also the same. For instance, there are
studies wliich now show that perhaps the effect of certain drugs may be very different in mane and women. But these roles
are not sturctured by biology. Biology is a convenient tool to reinforce social norms. More important than biology is the
social class which is at the root of the construction of normalcy. The construction of normalcy puts a burden on women. As
Manisha Gupte’s background paper (mfc bulletin. Auugust-December 1993) pointed out women are fso often plagued by
questions of whether they are normal: is white discharge normal ? Is a menstrual cycle of more or less than 28 days normal ?
If I don't have sons am I normal ? and so on. Whereas there are so many millions of women who are outside the realm of
’normal’: the deserted, post- menopausal, infertile, the depressedk the single, the lesbian, those without sons, sex workers, the
self-confident, the dark skinned the polygamous and so on. These strong notions of normalcy now operationalise and justify
the use of teclinology to attempt to alter, what is thoughht of as being her destiny. For instance, childlessness previously a
social phenomenon is now a medical problem with a technical solution. Contraception is increasingly a medical issue with
little comprehension of the social aspects which leads to the development of contraceptives which put low value on
women’ssocio-psychological factors. This brought up the question of science and technology and their role in reinforcing the
norm There were strong opinions expressed in most of the groups on this topic. While there is an increasing dissatisfaction
and disillusionment with the fact that technology is being sought to be used as a substittue for social action, the corrolary
which seems to be arising that all technology per se must be rejected cannot be accepted. For instance, ultrasound, has had a
tremendous impact on medical advances. Appropriate technology which is culturally and practically more compatible is
often ignored in favour of high tech and super specialised applications. As an illustration, the neglect of herbal medicine and
older methods. Moreover, the use of technology once it is developed cannot be looked at as a matter of individual choice,
because the developmental costs of any technological innovation are bome by society.
Another issue that was raised was whether men and women behave in the same way vis a vis technology ? Is technology
itself not designed with a bias against women ? Does the social organisation required for the incorporation of technology
itself favour men rather than women ? There is also the issue of technology abuse especially with reference to minorities and
the under class. The preofessional class is more sympathetic to the middle class so the use of technology for women of this
class is bound to be different than in the case of poor women. The question of whether technnology itself discriminates
expectedly led to very vocal opinions in most groups.
With this as a background the meet went in for group discussion on the following topics: Contraception; Maternal and Child
Health; Infertility, in the first half of the second day and Abortion,Population Policy, Sexualityand Menopause-HRT in the
second half. Group reports are included elsewhere. Here we will pick out the highlights of these discussions.
Contraception: An important concern is the increasing trend towards discussing contraception as if it were only a
technical\medical issue. The urgent need to focus attention on the socio-cultural factors which determine contraceptive
practices and inform a whole range of issues concerning contraception.(See Sundari Ravindran's paper in EPW November 1320, 1993) It is within this framework, issues such as the female bias in contraceptive research, the increasing tendency to view
contraception as a female problem, a and yet at the same time promote the use of contraceptives which are not womencontrolled , the de-emphasising of non-hormonal methods of contraception, such as for instance barrier methods, the
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unetliical clinical trials of long acting contraceptives (see background paper in mfc bulletin August Decmber 1993) need tb be
examined Moreover the gender bias in promoting contraception also leads to distortions . for instance, advertisements for
male methods (condoms) focus on sexual pleasure while those for female methods on responsibility' and protection, Further,
the promotion of condoms today is linked not so much with women's health as protection for the mak in the face of the real
or imaginary tlireat of AIDS and as a means of controlling numbers A cautionary note was sounded on how feminists too
were becoming caught up in a reductionist view of the human body and focus exclusively on women’s reproductive functions
and organs to the detriment of a process towards developing an alternative view of what women's health constitutes
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Maternal and Child Health: Two important issues which were higlilighted were tire concern over the fact that the maternal
mortality rate had not shown significant improvement and second, the unreliability of data on either maternal mortality or
maternal morbidity. What are the reasons for maternal deaths ? Are they due to high risk factors, socio-economic factors
including nutrition, lack of ante natal care or lack of supportive medicare ? Or were they extraneous to the state of pregnancy
and its outcome ? Several studies, notably the Columbia University study and collective experience at the field level indicates
tliat the availability institutional facilities for delivery is a crucial factor in preventing maternal deaths. Avatlible SR.S data
indicates that states and districts wliich have a lugh proportion of institutional deliveries (Punjab, Kerala, Ratnagiri district in
Maharashtra) also a decline in maternal mortality rates. But the solution is not to put all efforts into providing institutional
care. In fact the provision of institutional care without (a) adequate knowledge about the possible risks of pregnancy and what
is to be done in an emergency, or in other words education (b) a concern for tire pregnant women's health and not just tire
health of her baby or in other words a better social status for women and (c)reliable and efficient means of communication
and transportation and the means to use these or in other words adequate infrastructural socio-economic development would
be counterproductive becausee facilities would remain unutilised while Women would continue to die from lack of facilities. In
the west maternal and cliild health services comprise good obstetnc care, high risk approach and a well developed ANC
component. This is not so in tire third world. The long debate that ensued on what aspects of maternal and antenatal care are
the most crucial or what should be emphasised over others are indicative of changing perceptions on MCH programmes. The
government's proposal to cut down on maternity benefits for the fourth cliild and onwards came in for sharp criticism from all
sides.
Infertility': Discussioons on infertility centred around an effort to understand fertility and motherhood. Does a woman have a
personal need to have a biological child or is the desire for motherhood socially defined? Parenthood was determined by
people's capacity to love and care for others and was not determined by blood ties. Infertility was socially constructed: for
instance, women who do not fall into the category of marriage may be fertile yet be considered 'infertile’in the eyes of society.
On the other hand infertility is seen as a consequence of a woman's behaviour in the past. Women's ownershipof material
resources or the lack of it was a factor in determining how womanliness itself becomes defined in terms of a woman's capacity
to bear children. Another factor in defining infertility is the medical system which is gender insensitive: just as it pushes
women to limit the size of their families regardless of their own desires and needs, it is also unconcerned with the anguish of
women who have not been able to conceive. What role does and should technology play in the treatment of infertility and
what stand can we take on research on technology for treating infertility ? No consensus emerged on this issue, but a common
understanding was that in the context of lack of resources for so many clearly relevant areas of health care, research on such
technology cannot be considered a priority concern.
Abortion: What are the factors which make a woman decide to go oin for an abortion ? to suggest that it is the lack of safe
contraception does not make for a full understanding of the forces which operate. A major underlying factor is the unequal
and often distorted man-woman relationship, one consequence of which is men's insensitivity towards abortion. In the Indian
context abortion, the services available and why women go in for it cannot be understood except in the context of the history
of the legalisation of abortion in the country. (See Amar Jesani and Aditi Iyer's background paper published in the EPW,
November 27 1993). The legalisation in India was not an outcome of women's needs or the demands of the women's
movement. It was consequent upon the state's need to limit population growth Legalisation, has meant especially in tge recent
context of the growth of private sector in health care, has meant commercialisation of the service such that there is little
regualtion on their quality.This has further lead to the increasing insensitivity with wheih women 'patients' are dealt with
where they feel humiliated and shamed. On the issue of foetal right it was felt tliat this cannot be considered a civil right and
abortion is a woman's right. Even though this right has been coferred on women without their demanding it, every effort
should be made to preserve it. the need of the hour is to provide women-centtred abortion centres though this should not lead
to a sort of ghettoisation but to a changed perception of the need for such services.
Population Policy: Increaingly in the current context, the need for population control is being projected as a primary factor in
ensuring women's health. In reality the emphasis on population control policy infact derails all other programmes making the
situation all the worse for women. For example, with the focus on reducing numbers, the lack of people's access, especially
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women's to resources is sidelined, this danger is liighlighted in the case ofTamil Nadu. To talk of women's reproductive rights
has no meaning in tire context of the complete lack of survival rights for women has no meaning, (see Malim Karkal’s paper in
mfc bulletin August-December 1993) It is only if these: that is, education, employment, food, child care, and a better social
status in society are ensured that women's reproductive health can be a matter of special concern. For instance, in Kerala the
fact that Uiere are few births among women in the ages 15-19 is attributable to better education and also leads to better health,
perhaps. Sri Lanka has been able to bring down birth rates because of a policy which ensures that women have access to
education and employment.
The basic pliilosophy of population policies being encouraged in tliird world countriesy has been that the poor are
eugenically inferiour and therefore should not be allowed to breed. India has been in the forefront not only in adopting
population policy but in implementing it throught a state family planning programme and has contnbuted significantly to the
growth of demography as a serious discipline.(See mfc bulletin May-July 1993). Unfortunately these are not achievements
we should be proud of Today the situation is such that demographers are defining people’s needs, setting targets for family
size etc without taking into account sociological, cultural economic factors which determine family size. While
contraceptives, safe, effectiveand women controlled are a widely felt need, a directly or indirectly coercive family planning
programme directed only at controlling numbers will shift the focus away from issues of development. The statements being
circulated by different groups on the population policy were mentioned but not discussed at length.
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Sexuality: Only in recent years, especially in the context of the reproductive health agenda is sexuality ebeing sought tobe
defined and explored. Thw way women perceive sexuality is probably very different from the way a patriarchal society seeks
to define it and its expression. For instance, activities which give sensual pleasure such as singing and dancing are also
expressions of sexuality. Unfortunately the expression of sexuality becomes narrowly defined even as a girl is growing up:
society places certain limits on her movements and places taboos on some types of expression, and restricting others. Society
hs conferred different limits of expression of sexuality for men and women. For example it is permissible for a man to be or
to aspire to be polygamous, but not for a woman who is supposed to remain chaste for her husband and remain faithful. As a
logical follow through of this is the fact that homosexuality is considered aberrant behaviour and not to be tolerated. But
whether in heterosxual relations or homosexual, there was always a power relation involved which is rooted in the way
society is organised. A major part of the discussion focussed on the fact that progressive and left movements had never
examined the issue very seriously or challenged existing notions. Women who come into these groups often expecting a more
enlightened gender sensitive attitude, have had to contend with the same patriarchal notions of man-woman behaviour and
constraints on the expressions of sexuality as they have to outside these movements. It is only in more recent times that
women from these movements have asserted themselves and sought to highlight the often exploitative relationships which
have developed within the movement. From this is coming about a newer understanding.
Menopause and HRT: With the current emphasis the focus of health interventions appears to be entirely on women in the
reproductive age group. However, with an ageing population and the lower mortality among women in the older age group,
there will be a growing number of older women who will have special health needs. While a lot of problems are common to
both men and women, there is a dearth of information on older women and their social, cultural and physical needs. Ther has
for instance been very little documentation of women entering menopause, although these experiences may be very different
from that of an older generation when a larger proportion lived in extended or joint families, the health needs of older women
are increasingly being defined as being osteoporosis, depression etc which are dealt with at the primary health care level by
prescribing hormone replacement therapy or tranquilisers. However, they may infact need access to simple surgical facilities
to resolve problems such as incontinence, prolapse of the uterus and specialist services such as oncological for detecting and
treating cervical cancers, etc. And yet no comprehensive change is occurring in the primary health care set up to reflect the
changing needs of the population consequent upon the changing demographic charecteristics.
The discussion were thus in the nature of explorations rather than focussed and in-depth. What the meet brought out most
emphatically is the dearth of an alternative comprehension of what constitutes women’s health, what are women's health and
medicare needs and how best these can be met. A beginning perhaps can be made with Thelma Narain's background paper in
the mfc bulletin August-December 1993) Unless we arrive at an understanding of these, we will fall into the trap of merely
critiquing policies and programmes which are motivated by a different agenda, and be reduced to offerring limited alternatives
within a fiamework which is neither gender sensitive nor even pro-people.
Compiled by Padma Prakash. Group reports by Nagmani Rao, Aditi Iyer, Annie George, Swatiji, Padmini Swaminathan,
Asha Vadhera.
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Resolutions passed/Stands taken at the medico friend circle annual meet on Reproductive Health
In January 1994 at Sevagram, Maharashtra
Population Policy
We oppose the population policy primarily because:
a. Its basic premise is that we are overpopulated and therefore need to control our population which in turn means almost
solely, control of birth rate.;
b. Translation of this premiseinto policies to control the bodies the fertility and the lives of women because it is women who
bear children;
c. Population policies have in-built eugenic ideologies through the process of selection of the ones who have the right to
survive. In India translation of this ideology consists in targetting particular populations such as the dalits, tribals, minorities
and the poor in general, who bear the brunt of population control policies;
d. Population policies represent and endorse the interests and lifestyles of over-consumption in the countries of the north as
well as of the elites in the third world. These lifestyles are built on a growth model that is directly responsible for severe
environmental degradaton in most parts of the world which have in turn, undermined people's security and livelihoods. We
reject the prevalent notion that the so-called third world’s overpopulation has a causal connection with environmental
degradation.
e. Birth control mechanisms have over the period become so complex and hi tech that control over bodies have passed into
the hands of population controllers apart from becoming the sites of questionable and dangerous research.
£ Population policies are dilinked from socio-economic development the budget for population policy at the national level
has increased substantially at the expense of general health policies. Budget cuts have also characterised the minimum needs
programme which directly affect the poor in the rural areas.
We demand respect for the integrity of women's bodies and restoration of control over their bodies. Women's basic needs for
food, education, health and work should be addressed on their own merit. Meeting women's needs, including the need for
contraception and the like should be de-linked from population policy including these expressed as apparent humanitarian
concerns for women.
Women should have access to safe contraception and legal abortion under broader health care. These needs can only be met
if all life is respected and accorded dignity.
For all these reasons we state that we oppose population control policies in all forms. Also there cannot be a feminst
population control policy. Our voices cannot be used to legitimise an anti- women, anti-poor, anti-nature policies.
Abortion Services
1. Abortion should be placed on the agenda of the health sector as an essential part of the entire women's health package
(women's health package = health education of women about their own bodies, sensitisation of men to gender issues in
women’s health, health services for women through their entire life cycle).
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2. Health and women activist groups should activel campaign for accessibility to 'quality' abortion services ( quality sensitive,
safe, women-centred, confidential, non-hierarchical, non-patriarchal, humane).
3. Abortion services should be provided as a part of a comprehensive women-controlled women's health programme.
4. The practice ofinserting CuTs immediately after MTPs especially in government health facilities should be stopped.
5. Mushrooming of commercial and assembly line abortion facilities should be opposed and regulatory mechanisms
effectively enforced.
Barrier Methods
Awareness about and availability of barrier contraceptives like the diaphragm and condoms must be ensured by the
government through the public health systems, other government and non- government agencies and the media. Use of such
low-hazard effective contrceptive methods will also help in minimising the spread of sexually transmitted diseases including
AIDS. Hence we endorse barrier methods as opposed to the new hazardous hormonal and immunological methods. Support
to both women and men to use barrier methods successfully requires educational inputs for which the government must
ensure the necessary infrastructure and budgetary allocation, the government must hold responsibility for ensuring quality
control of barrier contraceptive products.
Access to Health Care
The access of the Indian people to health care is grossly inadequate. The reasons, we feel are:(i) Unanswerability of public
health services, (ii) Overemphasis by the public health services on population control.(iii) Increasing dominance of the
unregulated private health sector, which firrther aggregate inequities, (iv) Privatisation (v) Very low investment of resources in
the public health sector and the skewed concentration of existing resources in favour ofurban areas.
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Taking into account the poor health status of the Indian people, we strongly assert people's right to universal access to rational
and humage health care as defined and demanded by the people. This access should be irrespective of the capacity to pay.
We propose that conducive conditions for equitable access be created through: (i) Increased investment by the state in the
health sector, and more so for the underserved areas; (u) redistribution and reallocation of resources away from the target- •
oriented and population control centred programmes towards those which reflect the real needs and concerns of the people,
especially of women, (iii) Understanding women's health concerns beyond the narrow confines of maternity, (iv) Halting the
alarming rate of privatisation of public health services, (v) Regulation of the private health sector and making it accountable in
terms of rational and affordable medical care.
In the final analysis we feel that only a conscious, articulate and sustained pressure from the people will ensure that the state
addresses these concerns, the role of all pro-people and secular movements in attaining this goal is crucial.
Maternity Benefits
We understand that there is new legislation before various state and central governments directed at withdrawing many
entitlements including the Maternity Benefits Act from the third child onwards. We see this as a retrogressive effort at
population control and also one among a series of such measures that are going to be heralded to withdraw whatever little
benefits that women and disadvantaged sections like the rural and urban poor, tribals dalits and minorities get from the state.
We strongly feel that maternity benefits must be made universally available to all women, irrespective of their parity. In fact
the scope of presently available maternity benefits must increase in quality and quantity to ensure the health of the mother
and for the survival of the child, most Indian women work in the ©unorganised sector and have no access to basic human
rights at the workplace including maternity benefits. The need to provide these basic rights to all women workers is crucial.
We cannot allow maternity benefits to be withdrawn from the few women in the organised sector where trade unions have
fought hard to win access. We insist that it is the duty of the Indian state to provide improved maternity benefits including
child rearing facillities to all women.
Further we strongly oppose infringement on human rights in the name of disincentives in population control programme.
Maternal Care
Maternal care programmes in India are planned to cater to the needs of pregnancy, childbirth and peurperium through a
structure including various levels of health workers and dais. This is desirable though in reality it falls short of what is
planned. Apart from weak implementation, two other problems can be recognised with this approach: a) the focus of
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maternal care tends to take for granted other aspects of women's health, b) the thinning out of efforts put into various tasks' of
maternal care has effectively prevented provisions of safe and effective obstetric services. This is because of an assumption
that antenatal care alone automatically ensures a normal pregnancy outcome, which is not true, especially as regards maternal
death.
In order to reduce maternal deaths, it is necessary toensure tha all women have access to affordable and effective obstetric
care which can cover emergency situations as well. This must be located in the context of good primary health care facilities.
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Sex Education'
The moulding of attitudes from childhood to adulthood relating to body and self requires an entirely new perspective which
could replace the existing perspective of the sex education curriculum. This perspective would address the aspects of male
female sexuality and healthy man-woman relationship. This should find an important place in our schools and colleges and
other avenues of education, including media.
I,IST
PARTTCIPANTS
THE
MFC
ANNUAL
AL
MEET
WAROHA
(13-15 JAN.1994)
Sr .No.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Name
Malini Karkal
Shiva Mani
Yogesh Jain
Sandhya Phadke
Prasadika Rathod
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Smita Bajpal
Anuja Kak
Lele Madison
Ravi Duggal
Anita Borkar
11. ,Manisha Gupte
12/ Vanaja Ramprasad
13. Mira Shiva
14. M.V.Warade
15. Anita Dasgupta
lGv'Prabir
17. Mira Sadgopal
18. Darlendra David
19. Sabala
20. Swatija
21. S.L.Pawar
22. Asmita M.J.
Address
4,Dhake colony,Andheri(W), Bombay-400 058.
15, Sarojini Street,Pollachi,Tamilnadu-642 002.
BB/49 C,Janakpuri,New Delhi - 110 058.
50.L.I.C Staff Quarters,G.K.Road,Pune-411 016.
CHETNA, Leelawati Lalbai's Bunglow, Civil Camp
Road, Shahi Bagh, Ahmedabad-380 004.
CHETNA, Ahmedabad.
CHETNA, Ahmedabad.
CHETNA, Ahmedabad.
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05-^
4/408,Vahtuk Nagar,Amboli,Andheri(W),Bombay-S0~
ABHIVYAKTHI,Susheela,Canada corner,Nasik-422005.
ll,Archana apts.,163,Solapur Rd.,Hadapsar,Pune-28
839,23rd Main,J.P.Nagar,II Phase,Bangalore-560078
A-60,Hauz Khas,New Delhi 110 016.
A-10,Advihir,Ta-Motala,Dist. BuIdhana.
H6/13,Dankuni Hsg.Estate,Dhankuni,
Dist.Hoogly-711224.
19-C,Jamir Lane, Calcutta
19.
817, Sadashiv Peth, Pune
411 030.
CMAI,Plot No.2,A-3,Local Shopping Centre,Janak
Puri New Delhi - 110 058.
FFWH,2,Vishwa deep,Bhandaji Road,
Matunga,Bombay- 19.
FFWH, Bombay-19.
Ranebennur - 581 115, Dist Dharwad, Kanataka.
A-2,New Patkar's Block,Turner Road,Bandra(W),
Bombay -400 050.
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23. Asha Kachru
24. Amita Godbole
STRAENTA,P.O.Ranjole,Medak,dist.,A.P.502 318.
Save the Children,207,Sita Park,17,Shivaji Nagar,
Pune-411 005.
25s/ Benjamin
CHC,Shrinivasa Nilaya,! Main,4th Block,
Koramangala,Bangalore-560 034.
26, / Chander
CHC, Bangalore -560 034.
27. Ranjit Goswami
B.J.V.J.,Science & Technology Env.Council,
Panehavati, ShiIpukhuri,Gauhathi,Assam.
28. Khogendra Rajkumar (SOC))
B.J.V.J. Sagal Band Tera,Amndol,Imphal-1.
29. Prabhakar Pusatkar 12/3,Sarvapriya Vihar, New Delhi - 110 016.
30. Monju Kolita(SOC) Panchavathi, Shilpukhuri,Gauhathi, Assam.
31. Ram Nath Rao (SOC) Bharat Gyan Vigyan,3/379,Biswas Klmad,
Gomatinagar, Lucknow (U.P.)
32.. K.Lalita Damadoarani ANVESHI,Osmania UNN Campus,OUB3, .
0.U.C,Hyderabad-7.
33. Veena Shatrugna
ANVESHI, Hyderabad - 500 007.
34. Usha Rani
C/o.Dr.Sheela Prasad.Centre'for Area Studies,
O.U.Campus, Hyderabad - 500 007.
35. K.Sajaya
36. Vasudha
37. Sheila James
38. A. Umamaheshwari
39. Madhavi Desai
40. Usha Sethuraman
41. Sham Ashtekar
42. Amar Jesani
43. Anil Pigaokar
44. Annie George
45.
46.
47.
48.
C.Satyamala
Padma Prakash
Asha
Aditi Ayer
49. Marie D'souza
50. Sushma Jhaveri
51. Chhaya Deshpande/
Kalplliwar
52. Mohan Deshpande
53. S.Srinivasan
BHUMIKA Women's Magazine,12-13-391,Tharnaka,
Secunderabad - 500 015.
Plot No.13,Sripuri Colony,
Kakaguda,Secunderabad- 15.
C/o.Indira Pakejanathan,A-1-1,546-1,Mushirabad,
Hyderabad- 500 020.
Deccan Devt.Society,A-6,Meera Apts.,Basheerabad,
Hyderabad - 500 0296.
Indian Inst.of Youth Welfare, 134,Shivajinagar,
Nagpur - 440 010.
B-ll,Shaukar Sarshan, 15th Road , Chembur, Bombay-7/.
Dindori, Nashik - 422 202.
310,Prabhu Darshan,Swatantra Sainik Nagar,Amboli,
Andheri (W), Bombay 400 058.
• 34-B,Noshir Bharucha Road,Bombay - 400 007.
5,Varsha Sangam,Chakala Road,Andheri(E) ,Bombay-99
B-7,88/1,Safdarjung Enclave, New Delhi - 110 029.
19,June Blossom Society,60 A,Pali Road,Bombay-50.
FRCH, 84 a,R.G.Thadani Marg,Worli,Bombay-400 018.
Gold Finch,514/C,R.P.Masani Road,
Matunga,Bombay - 400 019.
•Jana Sewa Mandal,Korit Road,Nandurbar-425 412.
512/520, Arthur Road, Gulab Mahal, II Floor,
Tardev, Bombay - 400 034.
Staff Nurses(Nurse Fedration) Wardha.
2,Surabhi, Old Gangapur, Nasik- 422 005.
l,Tejas Apts.,53,Haribhakti Colony,
Baroda 390 015.
2/20,Radhabai Buldings,lst floor,
54. Sunita Vichare
D .L.Marg,Bombay - 400 033.
NL-5/9/14,Sector 3,Phase I.Nerul,
55. Sunil Nandraj
New Bombay-400 706.
37 A,Behind Maha Auto,Kalina Kolivery56. Sadhana Shetty
Village Lane, Santa Cruz (E), Bombay-400 098.
23,Sharda Nagar,Ahmedabad - 380 007.
57. Rajesh Mehta
23,Rajbdhar Street, Perambur - 600 011.
58 .-/Madhukar Pai
59. Padmini Swaminathan Madras Inst.of Development Studies,79,II
Main Road Gandhinagar, Adyar, Madras - 600 020.
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60. Millie Nihila
61. G.Suchitra
62. Murlidharan
63.
64.
65.
66.
Dhruv Mankad
S.Shridhar
Manjusha
Renu Khanna
67.
68.
69.
70.
71.
Anant Phadke
Audrey Fernandes
Nagmani Rao
Shridhar Gavaskar
Mahesh Gavaskar
72. Anupa Diwakar
73. Laxmi Kingam
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74. Madhukar Gamble
75. Dilip Karale
76. S.Opendra Singh
77. Sunita
78. Thodsam Chandu
79. Binayak Sen
80..Vidya Dehmukh
81. Padma Swadhi
82. Unni Krishnan
83. Sumith
84. Sushma
Madras Inst.Of Development Studies, Madras-20.
Madras Inst.of Development Studies, Madras-20.
Dept.of Humanities & Social Sciences,I.I.T.,
Madras - 600 036.
VACHAN, Shivajinagar, Nasik-422 006.
SEWA RURAL, Jhagadia - 393 110.
SEWA RURAL, Jhagadia - 393 110.
I, Tejas Apts.,53,Haribhakti Colony,
Baroda-390 015.
50,L.I.C Quarters, University Road, Pune-16.
II, Ameya,Opp.Brahma Bagh,P.0.Mundhwa,Pune-36.
84/2,Moreshwar Society,Baner Road,Pune-411 007.
4091,Gondhali Gal1i,BeIgaum,Karnataka-590 002.
12,Usha Kiran,44,Subway Road,Santacurz(W),
Bombay - 400 054.
z
Manas,52,Soubhagya Nagar, Gangapur Road,
Nasik - 422 005.
TISS (Woemn's Studies Unit) Deonar,
Bombay-400 088.
P.0.Gurukumja Mozari,Tai.Teosa,
Dist.Amraoti-444 902.
P.0.Gurukumja Mozari,Tai.Teosa,
Dist.Amraoti-444 902.
Citizen Volunteers Training Centre,
Palace Compound (West), Imphal - 795 001.
Citizen Volunteers Training Centre,
Palace Compound (West), Imphal - 795 001.
Gondwana Cilnic,Indervelly,
Adilabad Dist.- 504 436.
Plot No.20, Sunder Nagar, Raipur,M.P. 492 001.
BJVJ, Shinde Camp, Akola 440 004.
BJVJ, Agase Nagar,Gurukul Gorakshan Road,
Near Tukaram Hospital,Ako la.
VHAI,Delhi.
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