EXAMINATION OF WOMEN REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH WITHIN SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL FRAMEWORK: A STUDY OF TWO URBAN SETTLEMENTS OF N.W.F.P.

Abstract

Women reproductive health problems are found all over the world, particularly in developing countries. Individual is the prisoner of society. Culture determines way of life and interaction process in a group, which is known through cultural norms and values. With the passage of time; the evolutionary process in social system has been bringing about change in values regarding women and their rights. As a result a lot of consideration is seen for the protection of women rights. In this connection woman reproductive health has been considered in a male dominant society as most serious issue. The developing countries have also been considering and paying attention to human reproductive rights within socio economic and cultural frame work. The study focuses on the facilities in Pakistani society. This research study conducted to asses the women reproductive health problem in N.W.F.P. (Pakistan). The overall objectives of the study was to diagnose the effects and changes in behavior pattern of society concerning, demographic, social, cultural, religious and economic aspects of women living in different classes in urban area of, Peshawar and Kohat. The study focuses on social, economic and cultural consideration for the benefit of women's reproductive health. The study universe consists of urban Peshawar and Kohat, which is the true representative of two geographical regions; separated by a range of mountains of Tribal Belt of Dara Adam Khel of the province of N.W.F.P. A sample of 720 women respondent of three strata, i.e. lower, middle and upper class women with at least one living child or life birth were interviewed and sampling procedure was taken through stratified random sampling- both the quantitative (second resource as well as field survey) and qualitative (focus group's interviews) studies were conducted with the aim to produce valid results. The uni-variate, bi-variate and multivariate of quantitative and qualitative data provides evidences that the study provide evidences that educated spouse lead a healthy and prosperous life in community, leading towards significant reduction in child and maternal mortality in both districts of study in NWFP. The single most important variable in the discussion will be that education of females has to be made an area of priority by the policy makers, and then the society could get rid of many reproductive health problems.