In some places, caste discrimination continues to plague Indian mothers. Indian women are now standing up for their rights.

Caste system, which is still widely practiced in Hindu communities in large parts of India, means that many lower caste women in India are denied access to health care.

Recent report by the Associated Press says that

“caste discrimination continues to plague Indian mothers. One 2007 study in six north Indian states found that 61 per cent of maternal deaths were among Dalits — as “untouchables” are now called — and the indigenous people known here as tribals, Human Rights Watch said. Those two communities are at the very bottom of India’s complex social ladder, and are far more likely to live without equal access to jobs, education or health care.

In Uttar Pradesh, caste discrimination is an ingrained part of the medical system, doctors and activists say. “Upper-caste health workers refuse to visit Dalit communities,” said Lenin Raghuvanshi, a rights activist. Because of that, “pregnant Dalit women do not get [nutritional] supplements and the majority of them are anemic.”

Discrimination

Curse of caste means that lower caste patients are often asked for bribes, favors just get admitted to a hospital-even in emergency cases. Rajender Singh Negi at One World South Asia writes about an egregious incident of discrimination in his article Social exclusion rampant in India’s maternal health care

“New Delhi: A husband rushed his pregnant wife, writhing in labor pain, on his bicycle to a government hospital in Rampur Maniharan block. A nurse there demanded a bribe of Rs 500 for admission. Unable to pay the bribe, she was refused admission. The woman delivered a dead baby outside the hospital gates. The husband and wife were dalits. Later the hospital authorities tried to hush up the matter.”

Maternal mortality

Although high rate of maternal mortality among women of lower caste is a reality in India, it is not the only healthcare issue they face. Malnutrition, poor access to childhood vaccinations and preventative care, comparatively increased exposure to diseases caused by poor sanitation are also plaguing India’s lower caste population.

Professor K.S. Jacob of the Christian Medical College, Vellore, Tamil Nadu says

” Health indicators: Data from the National Family Health Survey-III (2005-06) clearly highlight the caste differentials in relation to health status. The survey documents low levels of contraceptive use among the Scheduled Castes(SC) and the Scheduled Tribes (ST) compared to forward castes. Reduced access to maternal and child health care is evident with reduced levels of antenatal care, institutional deliveries and complete vaccination coverage among the lower castes. Stunting, wasting, underweight and anaemia in children and anaemia in adults are higher among the lower castes. Similarly, neonatal, postnatal, infant, child and under-five statistics clearly show a higher mortality among the SCs and the STs. Problems in accessing health care were higher among the lower castes. The National Family Health Survey-II (1998-99) documented a similar picture of lower accessibility and poorer health statistics among the lower castes.”

The way forward

In spite of all odds against them, India’s lower caste women are now organizing and standing up for their rights. Here is one such young warrior Hema Konsotia. She is a college graduate and a union activist in New Delhi. The video is from World Focus.

The opinions expressed in this text are those of the author.