Author: Renuka Rai
AIT Library Call Number: AIT Thesis no.GD-13-09
Year: 2013
Academic Program: Gender and Development Studies (GDS)
Type: Thesis (M. Sc.) – Asian Institute of Technology, 2013
Examination Committee: Kyoko Kusakabe (Chairperson); Philippe Doneys, Soparth Pongquan (Examination Committee Members)
Abstract: As declared by Nepal’s Interim Constitution 2006, every Nepali citizen has a fundamental right to access and use government-facilitated essential health care services.Maternal health care services are also included in it. With an aim of reducing infant and maternal mortality, the Government of Nepal has introduced Free Delivery Policy and Maternity Incentive Scheme in 2009 and since then Nepali women are receiving free maternity-related health care services.This study, in this contextaims to assess the gender equality and social inclusion in such government-facilitated maternal healthcare services. The study identifies who are excluded from the current situation of maternal healthcare services and analyzes the reasons why they get excluded, particularly focusing on the gender relations and practices in the household. The study has been undertaken the cases of two VDCs of Dolakha district Bonch and Laduk, where the state’s programs on maternal health care are implemented at its best for the past three decades. For this, the standardized questionnaire surveywasconducted with one hundred twenty women respondents who had a birth within past three years. Additionally, individual interviews were conducted with thirty-seven sampled women respondents who also had had a birth within past three years. Besides, two mother’s groups including female community health volunteers were participated in focus group discussions, and health service providers were interviewed as key informant.The findings of this study shows that Nepal’s free health policy and maternity incentive scheme is instrumental to secure equitable access to maternity-related health care across socioeconomic groups, but along it is not sufficient to ensure that all women use such care and equally benefit from it. These schemes are yet not adequate and sufficient in overcoming barriers to women’s
Scholarship Donor(s): Government of Japan
Note: A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science inGender and Development Studies, School of Environment, Resources and Development
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