Examination of Women Reproductive Health Within Socio-Economic and Cultural Framework: A Study of Two Urban Settlements of N.W.F.P.

Women reproductive health problems are found all over the world, particularly in developing countries. Individual is the prisoner of society. Culture determines way of life and interaction process in a group, which is known through cultural norms and values. With the passage of time; the evolutionary process in social system has been bringing about change in values regarding women and their rights. As a result a lot of consideration is seen for the protection of women rights. In this connection woman reproductive health has been considered in a male dominant society as most serious issue. The developing countries have also been considering and paying attention to human reproductive rights within socio economic and cultural frame work.\ud \ud The study focuses on the facilities in Pakistani society. This research study conducted to asses the women reproductive health problem in N.W.F.P. (Pakistan). The overall objectives of the study was to diagnose the effects and changes in behavior pattern of society concerning, demographic, social, cultural, religious and economic aspects of women living in different classes in urban area of, Peshawar and Kohat. The study focuses on social, economic and cultural consideration for the benefit of women's reproductive health. The study universe consists of urban Peshawar and Kohat, which is the true representative of two geographical regions; separated by a range of mountains of Tribal Belt of Dara Adam Khel of the province of N.W.F.P. A sample of 720 women respondent of three strata, i.e. lower, middle and upper class women with at least one living child or life birth were interviewed and sampling procedure was taken through stratified random sampling- both the quantitative (second resource as well as field survey) and qualitative (focus group's interviews) studies were conducted with the aim to produce valid results.\ud \ud \ud The uni-variate, bi-variate and multivariate of quantitative and qualitative data provides evidences that the study provide evidences that educated spouse lead a healthy and prosperous life in community, leading towards significant reduction in child and maternal mortality in both districts of study in NWFP. The single most important variable in the discussion will be that education of females has to be made an area of priority by the policy makers, and then the society could get rid of many reproductive health problems. The most remarkable and significant aspect is keeping control at family size with use of contraception and that is possible with health education.\ud \ud The evidence from the study supports the idea that development in family income and better occupation is the pre-condition for reproductive health. The data analysis clearly demonstrates that women's education and cultural tradition in terms of women's restricted\ud participation in family and non-family matters, religiosity, family values, obligations and husband domination exert an important influence on fertility and contraceptive behavior. It also emerged from the study findings that culture maintains its influence in explaining\ud reproductive behavior and small family size independent of economic development.\ud \ud The type of family and socio economics status with cultural background in women with reproductive age in community and their impact on reproductive health as well as family size and use or not use of contraceptive is important social and cultural factors of any society and the response of respondent about use or non use of contraceptive is also important. The data in study showed that preferences of male child over female child, i.e. norms of sex preferences have been changing with the literacy and education in females. The changing status of women has dominant affect on the health of women. The changing norms of family setup were evident in the study. The study showed the high tendency regarding norms of communication between spouses. The important aspect and issue in the study was the improvement in status and participation by female in decision making in home affairs; but the male domination in lower class may lead towards many negative aspects of complete participation of women in participation in decision making process. These descriptions are shown in different tables in the chapter. Specially, those respondents, who belong to joint and extended families, reflected that respondents who belong to nuclear had the more chances of many/low children as compared to joint family system