The Maharashtra Women’s Health Rights Council AKA Mahila Aarogya Haq Parishad (MAHP) provides a credible forum for activists working directly at the village level to share their knowledge and experiences. However, activists frequently lack the expertise necessary to carry out this research procedure. The ‘Study Training Camp’ was held on January 18 and 19, 2025, at Mahavir Nagar, International Centre, Taluka Dahanu, Dist. Palghar, as part of the Maharashtra Women’s Health Rights Council’s preparatory process.

In the immersive two-day experience, activists and helpers from NGOs such as Masoom, Adivasi Sahaj Shiksha Sanstha, Yuva, Kashtari, Adivasi Ekta Ekalavya Parishad, Janavadi Sansthan, Sukhbhumi, Seva Vardhini, We Are For Our Health were present. Teachers and students associated with these organisations and AROEHAN’s activists actively participated in the training. Activist Kajal Jain from Masoom, gave an overview of MAHP, the Maharashtra Women’s Health Rights Conference held annually to cater to problems and preventive care for women’s health along with significant stakeholders from the state. AROEHAN activist Sujata Ayarkar spoke about the role of the council in her work and shared her thoughts on the significance of the Palghar district as the venue for the conference.

Jyoti Kelekar provided information about Palghar’s social, topographical, and economic context as well as its current state, including the rate of malnutrition, early pregnancy, mental health, issues and repercussions brought on by development projects, and the absence of water, forests, land, and health facilities.  In addition to Jyoti Kelkar’s presentation, Brian Lobo stated that women’s health should be viewed as encompassing more than only reproductive health and that public health services are insufficient. AROEHAN’s Secretary Anjali Kanitkar talked about potential research questions about women’s health in the Palghar district as well as potential study techniques such surveys, focus groups, and case studies.

Following this, Achyut Borgaonkar talked with the participants about a variety of study-related subjects. During the session certain statistics & facts were presented such as He presented important statistics such as anaemia rates in India are 27% among males, 57% among women, and 69% among teenage girls. Pressing matters such as women being forced to seek health care alternatives due to the lack of gynaecologists in Palghar district’s government hospitals, which occasionally results in situations like maternal deaths were brought up. The key topics discussed were:

• Health issues of women working at home

• Increasing mental health issues among highly educated girls in Vasai

• Addiction in tribal communities of the Chinchani area

•. Health of women working in Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC), insurance services

• Early marriage/cohabitation – responsibility of children at a young age and malnutrition of mothers

• Violence against female sarpanches in politics/women in power/decision-making process by husbands/other persons

• Relationship issues of young boys and girls

• Misconceptions about menstruation

• Stress in studies, games and other activities among young students

• Sexual abuse in residential ashram schools, misconception around menstruation, menstrual register, pregnancy testing after long vacations (It was suggested by the activists present that wherever such tests are conducted, the officials of the concerned ashram school can be asked whether there is a government decision in this regard or to whom this is reported.)

• Cybercrime- Increasing use of social media by young boys and girls, Sending unsolicited photos and videos on the phone, or blackmailing for the same

• If the delivery is institutional or at home without surgery, why are stitches placed in both the ways of the woman who has given birth after being brought to the hospital? What is the reason for putting stitches if the vaginal canal does not have to be cut? There is no satisfactory answer from the doctors on this.

• Endometriosis disease and its effects

• Sensitivity of the health system staff, doctors and nurses towards women’s health

• Health consequences of girls not being able to use toilets in schools, colleges, hostels and public places

• Abha Card – It is not seen being used anywhere in Maharashtra. But women who went to Gujarat and used health facilities said that Abha Card is being used there.

• Not getting benefits of schemes despite registering during pregnancy

• Mental health problems

• Teenage pregnancy, POCSO cases, forensic cases – Cohabitation of teenage boys and girls in tribal areas – Case study

• Lack of health facilities for women who have migrated for work, lack of availability of toilets, impact on education of boys and girls

AROEHAN activist Dhanashree came across a 14-year-old pregnant girl Pallavi (name changed) during her regular maternal and child health related interventions. Situated in Shisupada in Agavan Gram Panchayat of Dahanu, Aroehan has witnessed at least 56 teenage pregnancies in the past year. Pallavi’s male partner was 15 years old and she was in her 7th month of pregnancy. It is common among tribal communities that many adolescents cohabit after engagement or stay in a live-in relationship. 

Despite being an at-risk mother, Pallavi was not registered anywhere in the health centre as well as Anganwadi due to fear of legal repercussions against her. Right to healthcare is a fundamental right but the health workers refused to provide her with any service fearing legal punishment. We convinced them to get her MCP (Mother and Child Protection) Card. While the PHC still did not register her as a mother, she was referred to Manav Seva Sangh, an NGO working for orphan children and less privileged mothers. She was able to get some check-ups and necessary medications were provided. 

AROEHAN activist Sujata Ayarkar, who has worked with such cases before, along with Dhanashree went to the police station to intervene with this situation. Initially, the police officer was flipping tables and getting angry over the tribal community for “encouraging” such cases. The police dismissed the case speaking of the prevention, but what when the case has already occurred? After some time we received an off-the-record tip that if the parents of both the minors agree with the cohabitation, the case would be registered under Medico Legal Case and legal repercussions could be prevented against the minors and people helping her.

Pallavi was underage, anaemic, underweight, and an at-risk mother, which meant there were high chances of premature childbirth. She gave birth at Dahanu cottage but it was necessary to transfer her to a hospital with Neonatal Intensive Care Unit facilities. She was transferred to a government hospital with adequate facilities in Silvassa, which is a union territory inside Gujarat state. Our activists were behind her and ensured no legal actions were taken against her and the mother was able to deliver in a safe environment.

As per NIH, one out of every five adolescent girls becomes a mother before turning 18 in India. While we may have progressed in some areas, there are still vulnerable areas which need to be nurtured with proper education and development interventions. In this process, if there were cases of pregnancies, it would be inhumane and unjust of us to refuse them the health services and it also goes against our fundamental rights. We do not promote teenage pregnancies but we believe in every human’s right to safe healthcare.