Reproductive Healthcare Rights, Practices and Challenges among the Displaced Tribal Communities in India

Abstract

In India, 65 million were internally displaced between 1950 to 2005 due to development projects such as mining, irrigation and wildlife sanctuary (IDMC, 2016). Tribal population all across the world especially in Asia and Africa are being threaten in the name of conservation projects that carry a heavy human cost (Alcorn, 2010). The forcedly evicted population from wildlife sanctuaries undergoes disruption of their original settlement and scattered kinship groups. The displacement has consequences on reproductive health as it collapses the family and community support in maternal and childcare. There is limited research on impact of displacement on reproductive health after eviction from wildlife sanctuaries to a new setting outside the forest. The present thesis examines the reproductive healthcare rights, practices and challenges of the displaced tribal communities relocated from the wildlife sanctuaries in India.
Since there has been large number displacement occurring in wildlife sanctuaries, this study was selected to conduct in three wildlife sanctuaries in the Indian states of Odisha and Chhattisgarh namely Simlipal, Chandaka-Dampara and Achankamar. A total of 194 women within the age group of 15-49 years those who had given birth in last five years were selected using purposive sampling method. Sequential explanatory study design was used to collect the quantitative and qualitative data. The key findings of the study suggest that the major changes occurred to the displaced tribal were they have no access to the medicinal plants and other forest resources. There were changes in food habits such as more dependency on the market products than forest resources. Many tribals have experienced change in their festivals and celebrations. The results suggest that before displacement the tribal women were depended on home delivery. After displacement there is rise in access to institutional delivery (38%) and more than two-fifth of women have received 3+ANC checkups. However, women lack in awareness on child spacing capabilities (57%) and unmet need for family planning is comparatively higher. More than half of women are facing domestic violence that reduces their capabilities to avail reproductive healthcare services. The delay in identifying danger signs and not choosing relevant treatment during pregnancy is leading many women to experience neonatal mortality (59%). The women face availability, acceptability, affordability and accessibility barriers to the reproductive healthcare services. The findings of the study seek for the need of expediting the existing legal safeguards on reproductive rights in the context of SDGs targets.