This document presents a rapid drought impact assessment that was carried out
by UNICEF’s India Country Office in eight states with the aim of providing insights
into drought management practices and their effectiveness. It identifies UNICEF’s

India probably is the only nation in the world which exclusively enshrines female deities in artistically built temples. The Meenakshi temple at Madurai, Ambabai temple at Kolhapur and the Shantadurga and Mahalaxmi temples at Goa are ample proof of the Hindu reverence for female deities.

This paper presents a part of the qualitative exploratory study conducted in rural Maharashtra from April 1994 to April 1996 to understand the issue of abortion from women's perspective.