In the first such study of the Constitution, legislation, schemes, policies, etc, vis-à-vis the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has concluded the rights of women remain restricted in all spheres of

“Women hold up half the sky”, the Chinese saying goes. But we need to recognize that it is not an equal world for women, globally and in India.

STRONG preference for sons over daughters exists in the Indian subcontinent, east Asia, north Africa and west Asia unlike in the western countries [Muthurayappa et al 1997, Lancet 1990, Okun 1996].

The expectant and lactating mothers are considered as nutritionally vulnerable group especially in the developing countries of the world. Due to nursing process mothers are subjected to nutritional stresses.

Change in the size of a population takes place due to births, deaths and migration.

IT is indeed a tall claim, almost an impossible task - to set in motion the immobile-to create spectators who would continue to perform.

Lactating women are often recommended the IUD as a contraceptive method since it compares favourably with other available contraceptive methods, which either adversely affect lactation or are less effective in preventing pregnancy. Numerous studies, [1-4] have shown that IUDs have no effect on th