Tribal population across the world, especially in Asia and Africa, face violence and abuse in the name of conservation that carries a heavy human cost. A report on the eviction of populations from 34 protected areas in Africa made it evident that the Congo DRC, Cameroon, Gabon, the Central African Republic of Congo had displaced whole villages leading to conflict and multiple human rights abuses. Recently in India, around 400 families from Amchang wildlife sanctuary in Assam and 78 families from Satkosia wildlife sanctuary in Odisha were forcefully evicted and their houses demolished. The population thus forcefully evicted from wildlife sanctuaries are subjected to disruption of the original settlement, cultural shift and scattered kinship groups. Studies have also highlighted the consequences of displacement on health since it leads to collapses in mutual help in childcare and deteriorates healthcare trends. The present study was conducted among the displaced tribal communities from wildlife sanctuaries in Odisha and Chhattisgarh States in India. The paper analyzes the acculturation process observed among the displaced tribals and the ways in which they adapted themselves into host communities.
Purpose
The internally displaced persons (IDPs) are often overlooked population, falling between the cracks of international and national commitments. Displaced women and children go through more hardship than the male counterpart, as they are frequently at greater risk and do not get adequate access to the reproductive healthcare rights; they suffer from poor health amid threats of eviction. The purpose of this paper is to look into the IDPs reproductive healthcare situation in India and sustainable development goal (SDG) role in addressing the reproductive healthcare rights of the IDPs in India.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper is based on the available literature on reproductive rights of IDPs in India, analysis of the SDGs 3 and other legal safeguards.
Findings
The newly arrived IDPs in the camps have complex needs and health problems. They are susceptible to a number of health problems due to the exposure to physical and environmental threats, violence and trauma. Many of them face a loss of social networks and assets, knowledge and information in the new environment, and lack food security. They have inadequate shelter, healthcare services, sanitation and access to safe water.
Research limitations/implications
This is a viewpoint paper and most of the information in this paper are taken from different sources which are cited in the reference section. There is a lack of sufficient data on IDPs in India. Most of the IDPs figures/data are quoted from Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre and other literature.
Practical implications
To achieve the SDGs by 2030, India needs to take account of all people’s vulnerabilities to address their humanitarian and sustainable development needs. It is important that the development, humanitarian actors, along with the local communities, work collectively to respond to the health needs of the IDPs. Moreover, the active role of the government can provide the necessary assistance to guarantee the rights of IDPs health, adequate standard of living and to social security.
Originality/value
This paper highlights the reproductive healthcare rights of the IDPs in India and the challenges faced by them. It has analyzed the policy gaps. The paper also suggests few measures that can be undertaken to address those challenges under the SDGs.
Background: The utilization of Reproductive, Maternal, and Newborn and Child health (RMNCH) services is often influenced by the socio-cultural, financial, access, political barriers acting at the community, family and individual level. Yet, very little attention has been given, either by policy makers or researchers for minimizing their effect. Aim and objective: To examine the demand and supply side barriers in accessing the maternity services and to understand the perception on maternal healthcare services. Material & Methods: The study was carried out in four districts of Odisha state, with a well representative sample of 1194 women, who delivered a child in last 2 years. Quantitative and qualitative study design was followed to collect the data. Results: The supply side barriers such as physical access and facilities were faced by the service providers. The demand side barriers such as socio-cultural, financial and access barriers were faced by the service receivers in order to avail the services. Conclusions: In order to overcome the barriers faced by the women of Odisha it is important to improve the access to services so that they get them easily. Some of the imperative actions such as strengthening community mobilization through inter-personal communication, dialogue with the key influencers in the community as well as continuous engagement with and sensitization of the service providers
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