From time to time, Indian demographers have advocated that the age at marriage of girls be raised so as to reduce the reproductive span of women, and thereby, bring down the birth rate.

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

WOMEN's status, it has often been argued, is an indicator of the level of development of particular societies. Women's workforce participation rates, on the other hand, are also related to women's status.

A growing recognition that population dynamics, quality of life and women's status are closely inter related argues strongly for a fresh look at India's population program.

The health care scenario for women, especially apropos reproductive health, is highly exploitative, with extensive human rights violations. Women are treated as expendable entities.

In a vast, multi-ethnic, multi-religious country like India, it is to be expected that we have several world-views operating at the same time in people's search for health and healing.

Muslims form the largest minority group in India. According to the 1991 census, they constitute about 12 per cent of the country's population. In absolute terms, Muslims in India total 101.6 millions which gives India the distinction of having the second largest Muslim population in the world.

As women become more involved in public life and break patriarchal control in the process, they also deal with the backlash of cultural, traditional and religious reaction. Various interpretations of Muslim law are promoted by different groups in the struggle over women's rights.

The health of the general population as well as specific groups (infants, women, etc) has for long been an important concern for development studies.

The study of female age at marriage in any population is of immense importance due to its strong association with social, economic and demographic change in the population. In India marriages are not only universal but take place at early ages (Nirupama 1981, Pandey 1984, Singh 1986).