The focus of my five profiles is on the lives and problems of five poor-working women living on the outskirts of the city of Trivandrum, the capital of the State of Kerala. Both Kerala and the problems of the poor as such are already much researched.

By the end of 1970-71, about 19% of the total number of couples in the reproductive age-group, estimated to be I

Narayani

Discrimination is practised largely in two ways.

The birth rate in Kerala has shown a slow but steady decline particularly in the last ten to twelve years.

The rapid decline in mortality rates, rendered possible by the spread of modern medicine and

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.

A fear of female sexuality and therefore, the need to control it have been felt in many societies and civilizations. This control has assumed different forms in different societies.

The RUWSEC case study is useful and inspiring, for it provides in-depth information and insight into what a women-centered reproductive health approach actually means at field and organizational levels.