Reframing Maternal Health with a Gender Equity Lens in India

Abstract

Maternal health remains a critical concern in India, requiring urgent attention to both health outcomes and systemic inequalities. Despite significant strides in reducing maternal mortality ratio (MMR) by 68% over the past two decades, India continues to face challenges in addressing broader maternal health indicators, including anemia, teenage pregnancies, and the accessibility of healthcare services for vulnerable populations. 

The paper identifies socio-cultural determinants of health as a core barrier, where patriarchal norms and resource inequalities prevent women from accessing necessary healthcare. The paper calls  for a reframing of maternal health through a gender-transformative lens, shifting the focus from the narrow focus on the ‘mother’ to women’s overall health. This approach requires addressing structural inequalities, intersectionality of identities, and promoting a collectivized model of care that includes families, communities, and healthcare systems. We argue that the improvement in maternal health status is not merely a question of improved resource accessibility or allocation of greater financial resources, it is also a question of women fundamentally negotiating their spaces and reclaiming their agency. 

We spotlight civil society organizations that are pioneering gender-responsive and transformative interventions across India. By piloting innovative programs, gathering evidence, and advocating for policy reforms, these organizations play a pivotal role in shifting social norms, increasing women's agency, and driving systemic changes that promote lasting gender equity in maternal health. These civil society interventions are important whitespaces for philanthropic investment to transform maternal health care in India.

This white paper is divided as follows:

• Chapter I outlines the maternal health landscape in the country, reflecting on the progress made so far by providing a glance of key government initiatives and related opportunities. 
• Chapter II frames the sector from the perspective of stakeholders including government, civil society organizations, and healthcare practitioners with a view of their unique approaches. 
• Chapter III summarizes the gender equality continuum and builds the case for reframing the maternal health agenda with a gender-transformative lens. 
• Chapter IV covers key recommendations for integrating a gender transformative lens into maternal health. 
• Section V spotlights the initiatives by civil society organizations in the context of maternal health and identifies where these lie on the gender integration continuum.