Status of Women in India

PREFACE

For the last three decades it is heartening to note that various aspects of women in Orissa have attracted the attention of researchers and scholars and considerable literature have been generated. Despite this the health status of women has not yet received the due attention of the scholars working on feminism. This study is an humble and modest attempt to explore the health status of women in Orissa particularly of those living in slums.

The health and nutrition records of women are very much dismal, irrespective of their socio-economic position. Of course, socially and economically well-to-do women can afford heavy medical expenses, but the poor and needy labour class women neither have knowledge and time to keep them healthy nor can they afford expensive treatment. Their poor health condition accentuated by their seething poverty and low calorie food intake. In this study the scholar has attempted to investigate the reasons for the poor health status of slum women. The method of the study is purely exploratory. The slum area has been chosen for study on account of the familiarity of the researcher, adding to this the appalling health conditions have instilled concern in the scholar. This is what has prompted this scholar to make an empirical study on the health status of women. It is the utter lack of awareness on the part of slum living women which has goaded them into the miserable conditions.

In this study spreading over five chapters, conceptual framework of women’s health status has been discussed, the status of women in Orissa has been highlighted. The socio- economic condition of slum women of the area of study have been presented, health and medicare of sample women have been analysed and findings and suggestions are elaborated.

The chapter-wise approach has been reflected in the chapter theme of the introduction. For presenting this study the scholar has visited the concerned slum area on several occasion and met a cross section of women in order to have on the spot knowledge of the maladies afflicting their health status. Unless health conditions improved, nothing can improve.

The interview, personal meet, interface understanding of the problem have helped the scholar to find out the real causes and make his findings and observations. It is hoped that this study may help the social activists, the institutions, organizations and individuals to assess and evaluate the poor health status of women and locate remedies for their alleviation.

-Sobhan Patnaik