In the Corridors of Sahibabad Industrial Area

In the Corridors of Sahibabad Industrial Area

Neeti Kesarwani

Student- MBA IInd Sem, SP 2017 session

Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra: Ranchi, Noida Campus

Email: neeti.kesarwani@gmail.com

Maharajpur – is situated at Sahibabad industrial Area. Sahibabad is the name for a group of industrial, residential and commercial areas within the jurisdiction of Ghaziabad District of Uttar Pradesh, India. It touches the borders of Delhi, Noida, and main city of Ghaziabad and constitutes a part of the Delhi National Capital Region.

Few days back for me, it’s was just a target place to undergo my project for Development Communication under guidance of Dr. Suparna Datta. However, my first visit was an eye opener towards the reality and condition that how people especially women of Maharajpur are denied and deprived from their basic rights of living due the unawareness prevailing in some parts of our society.

The area of Maharajpur is divided into 2 units among urban public health centers. Hence, Maharajpur is has all the amenities that a NCR area should posses like various malls, multiplexes, 5 star Hotels like Radisson blu etc. In this vicinity lies the small area of Bhowapur village and Maharajpur village.

The prima facie of the government records shows no cases of the “Teenage Pregnancy”, may be because in India minimum age for marriage is 18 years, which can be easily showed and proved by parents and relatives in the government records. However, moment I entered the area we could find many cases of teenage pregnancy.

After studying and talking to various teenage pregnant women, their parents and relative I could conclude the following causes of teenage pregnancy in the locality of Maharajpur –

There is a financial incentive to marry a girl earlier, since they’ll need to pay the groom’s family more money to take an educated girl.

Once a daughter has been sent off, there’s one less mouth to feed while for the groom’s family there is one more hand to work.

Peer pressure plays a role when a family doesn’t get a daughter married at the age typical for the area; neighbors become inquisitive AS THEY FEEL SOMETHING MAY BE WRONG WITH THE GIRL.

Another big concern behind early marriage is family honor, and a fear that unmarried girls will become romantically involved before they are married.

Parents also fear that unmarried daughters are more likely to face sexual violence.

Girls have no say in the arrangement of their marriages including the right to refuse to be intimate.

Section 375 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) considers the forced sex in marriages as a crime only when the wife is below age 15. Thus, marital rape is not a criminal offense under the IPC. Section 376 discusses the offence of rape. Under this section a man who rapes his wife, who is not below twelve years old is given a lesser punishment.

Here, the question may arise that how “teenage Pregnancy” matters to us and who does it effects our society. Hence, the answer is also right in front of us, Research says that, many health problems are particularly associated with negative outcomes of pregnancy during adolescence. These include anemia, malaria, HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, postpartum hemorrhage and mental disorders, such as depression.

Up to 65% of women with obstetric fistula develop this as adolescents, with dire consequences for their lives, physically and socially.

Adolescent pregnancy is dangerous for the child

Stillbirths and death in the first week of life are 50% higher among babies born to mothers younger than 20 years than among babies born to mothers 20–29 years old.

Deaths during the first month of life are 50–100% more frequent if the mother is an adolescent versus older, and the younger the mother, the higher the risk.

The rates of preterm birth, low birth weight and asphyxia are higher among the children of adolescents, all of which increase the chance of death and of future health problems for the baby.

Today, India is having the highest demographic dividend, and by neglecting this issue of “teenage pregnancy” we are self eliminating the major part of girls’ youngster who can play an effective role in India’s growth. This is the right time to eradicate the concept of “Missing Women” and involve girls in the 360 degree development of the Nation.

However, “Rome was not built in a day”, this mention too cannot be achieved in a day or a year. It requires various steps like early Interception, Sex education in schools and Behavioral change through qualitative and quantitative measures.

  

Maharajpur At A Glance

Images:  Author with the women of the Sahibabad

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