Gender, Health and Empowerment of Women in Urban Slum: A Study on Development and Social Transformation.

The reproductive health and gender are interrelated with each other. It is the basic socioeconomic and cultural dimension which is present in every social system. The reproductive health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well being and not merely absence of disease or infirmity, in all matters related to the reproductive system and function process. Provision of individual and social health of all classes of the society is today one of the serious concern for people worldwide. Reproductive health therefore implies that people are able to have a satisfying safe sex life, capability to reproduce and freedom to decide if when and how often to do so. It focuses on the right of men and women to be informed and have access to safe ,effective ,affordable and acceptable method of family planning choice as well as others methods of their choice for regulation of fertility and the right to access appropriate health care that will enable women to go safely through pregnancy and childbirth. It also includes sexual health, the purpose of which enhancement of life and personal relations and not merely counseling and care related to reproduction and sexually transmitted diseases(ICPD) programme of action. Therefore, the present study undertakes a primary study on 50 respondents to examine their maternal health status in a slum in Bhubaneswar. The findings suggest although still women in slums lack accessibility to adequate maternal health care but it has also been observed that in many cases their empowerment level has been found to be enhanced with regard to maternal health care. A proper maternal health care to women would definitely contribute towards social transformation.