Reproductive Health and Gujjar Women: A Study among Nomadic Dhodi Gujjars in Jammu District

Reproductive health is an essential component of the long dawn process of the empowerment of women. The entire reproductive process extends from menarche to menopause; the intervening periods are marriage, pregnancy, childbirth and contraception. These conditions are determined by socio economic and cultural factors and available health care facilities. The present paper attempts to understand the various factors i.e. social, cultural, religious and economic that affect the reproductive health of the Nomadic Dhodi Gujjar women. The present research has understood and identified various factors affecting the Gujjar women reproductive health, the levels of utilization of the reproductive health services. In a society, where reproductive rights and choices are socially and culturally defined and governed through patriarchy, a woman has very little freedom to exercise her sexual reproductive rights and choices. The patriarchal structure restricts women‟s movement and lack of education and awareness deprive them of any related information. Women are at risk of complications from pregnancy and childbirth. The issues of reproductive health are rarely discussed openly, often leading to ignorance and misconceptions. The variables like education, age at marriage, religion, patriarchy etc. have been taken into account for the present study.