Sex ratio is perhaps one of the most important sociodemographic indices which reflect the socio-economic and cultural ethos of a country, more so with reference to the status of its women.

The high female infant mortality rates (Miller, 1985), the practice of female infanticide (Krishnaswamy, 1988), the neglect of female children with regard to access to health services, nutrition (Sen and Sengupta 1983) and education (Mankekar, 1985), and the sexual abuse of girls (Bhalerao, 1985)

The Shodhini experience has been able to draw upon a range of disciplines in an attempt to develop a woman-centered health care alternative.

The Ford Foundation recently commenced a planning exercise to define a strategy for the program area entitled "Advocacy for Reproductive Health and Women's Empowerment" in India. This report outlines the findings of this

We live in an era of paradoxes and contradictions - the reality was never so multifaceted, the issues never so complex. Everything around us seems to be melting and unfortunately the new forms acquired by the congealing of the molten mass leaves us little to rejoice at.