Browsing by Author "Ms. Akhila Vasan, - Supervisor"

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A revolution in pink : a qualitative analysis of the structure and impact of pink centres in Delhi
(National Law School of India University, Bangalore, 2023-10-18) Komal, Kashish; Ms. Akhila Vasan, - Supervisor
Sanitation has been recognised as an important human right which lends itself to the realisation of other rights, such as the rights to health, education, work, life and adequate standard of living. Sanitation, when viewed through the lens of gender has deeper complexities and implications. Women have unique physiological needs and therefore require adequate sanitation to achieve parity with their male counterparts. The Pink Centres in Delhi were conceptualised as a means of delivering affordable, equitable and accessible sanitation to women. This study is a qualitative analysis of level of effectiveness of Pink Centres, its management structure, facilities available and neighbourhood and demographic served. Semi structured interviews with 88 users, 7 WaSH champions (staff employed at ground level) and 78 women in the community reveal that the Centres are contributing to women’s efficiency at work, reduced absenteeism, improved health and hygiene, improved menstrual hygiene management and empowerment of WaSH champions, increased opportunities for female solidarity and bonding. They serve as inclusive spaces with members across caste and class groups accessing the Centres. The Centres are primarily located in marketplaces and in proximity to juggi-jhopris, shops and private bungalows. They are accessed by women who are employed in the vicinity, domestic workers, blue collar workers and passersby. The Centres are equipped with ramps, steady supply of water, bathing units, breastfeeding stations and clean and hygienic facilities. The Pink Centres function on a public-private partnership model between PVR NEST and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi. They have been operationalised by refurbishing erstwhile government toilet infrastructure. The finances are borne wholly by PVR NEST. The Centres are creating a significant impact on women’s overall well-being and may be scaled up to reach a larger demographic. More Centres should be built in priority areas and to serve underprivileged communities. Initially, a PPP model is recommended, but the government must take over the management operations (through a smooth transition from private to public hands) after a stipulated period of time for long-term sustainability of the initiative.
Understanding child nutrition : comparative study of effectiveness of state's nutritional interventions in preventing undernutrition among children of migrant and non-migrant families
(National Law School of India University, Bangalore, 2023-10-17) Gulati, Gursimer Singh; Ms. Akhila Vasan, - Supervisor
Maternal and child nutrition as a field of study has always intrigued me. Despite of the fact that the Government of India and state governments have issued several schemes and have spent reasonably to tackle undernutrition, the National Family and Health Survey highlights that the nutritional indicators still reflect the dire lived realities of women and children in the country. My introduction to the said sector came before I joined National Law School of India University when I interned at a government organization. As a student at NLS, pursuing Masters in Public Policy, I got to pursue the enquiries on maternal and child care from the perspective of inter-state migration. I thank the institution for giving me the opportunity to undertake this topic for my dissertation. A good teacher is like a lamp who lightens the path ahead in anticipation of opportunities and threats and letting the student make the decision. Such has been the role played by my guide Dr. Akhila Vasan. I am grateful to her for all the time and effort that she has put in along with me. Dr. Vasan’s door was always open whenever I encountered any issue with my dissertation. I thank her for playing such a pivotal role in my endeavour by lending her time and vast knowledge that she possesses in the field of public health. I would also like to extend a vote of thanks to Prof. S. Pellissery for helping me refining my research questions and Prof. S. Sarkar for providing her valuable inputs to improve my methodology. This dissertation would not have been possible without Indus Action who offered me an internship that helped me finalize my topic and choose the sites for primary research. I would like to specially mention Meenu didi from Indus Action who accompanied me on my field visits. Lastly I would like to thank my friends, especially Mr. Adtya Shrey on helping me with parts of my literature review and my family who have supported me all through the years. Gursimer Singh Gulati
Understanding the aspiration dynamics of adolescents in Bihar : implications for prevention of early marriage in Bihar
(National Law School of India University, Bangalore, 2023-10-13) Shrey, Aditya; Ms. Akhila Vasan, - Supervisor
The state of Bihar has a significant population of adolescents aged 10-19, whose aspirations have the potential to significantly influence the region's development trajectory. The prevalence of early marriage among 20–24-year-old women, which affects a significant 40.8% of them, poses a major obstacle to achieving societal progress and cohesion, with adverse consequences. The present study posits that effective policy interventions aimed at comprehensively understanding and promoting the aspirations of adolescents can serve as a viable strategy to mitigate the prevalence of early marriage, thereby yielding positive outcomes for Bihar and other wider contexts. This research employs a social constructivist framework and utilizes qualitative case studies to thoroughly examine the aspirations of adolescents in Bihar. The study aims to determine the extent to which these aspirations align with the demands of the contemporary world. A sample of thirty-five adolescents from six distinct neighbourhoods was subjected to interviews, which were further complemented by ten interviews with key informants such as legislators, government officials, and civil society members. This research highlights the significance of recognizing and tackling the various factors that impact the decision-making and aspirations of adolescents. The proposed approach entails implementing multi-faceted strategies that address the needs of adolescents at various levels, including individual, familial, community, and systemic. The overarching goal is to promote adolescent empowerment, gender equality, reduce socioeconomic disparities, and prevent early marriage. The promotion of adolescent empowerment in Bihar necessitates a comprehensive approach that takes into account the socio-ecological framework and addresses significant obstacles related to premature matrimony, education, financial prospects, and healthcare. Effective implementation of public policy requires close collaboration and coordination between government agencies and civil society organizations. To effectively address the needs of Bihar's adolescent population, it is crucial for policymakers to prioritize initiatives that promote educational and economic advancement, encourage community involvement, and challenge deeply ingrained cultural practices. Evidence suggests that investing in education, skill development, and vocational training programs can have a positive impact on delaying the age of marriage. This, in turn, can contribute to reducing the prevalence of early marriage. The study underscores the necessity of enhanced governmental backing in the domain of adolescent education, encompassing the provision of sufficient funding for educational resources and the augmentation of teacher availability in public schools. The utilization of various techniques such as data triangulation, social audits, and community participation can effectively enhance the empowerment of adolescents, thereby creating a favourable setting for their comprehensive development. Facilitating the realization of adolescents' full potential and their constructive contribution to Bihar's comprehensive development in a sustainable and effective manner is imperative. The study highlights the potential of utilizing adolescent aspirations as a strategy to address the issue of early marriage. It also brings attention to the various challenges that adolescents encounter, such as gender-based labour disparities, economic difficulties, insufficient educational opportunities, and cultural constraints. The aforementioned highlights the crucial need to establish strong policies, provide assistance to caregivers, and launch educational initiatives that enable young people, foster gender parity, and discourage premature matrimony
‘Who cares for us?’ : a analysing the systemic challenges faced by the grassroots health care workers in urban Bihar
(National Law School of India University, Bangalore, 2023-10-17) Jha, Geetanjali; Ms. Akhila Vasan, - Supervisor
Primary Health Centre (PHC)– being the foundational unit in the Indian public health system – is expected to provide good quality and comprehensive health care with disease prevention and health promotion constituting a large part of its responsibility. Similarly, the grassroots level health workers of the primary care centre are the cornerstone of the public health system by providing preventive, promotive, curative and rehabilitative health care services to all citizens. They act as the bridge between the communities and the government health system. However, the public health system in Bihar is in a poor state including availability and capacity of human resources. Health outcomes have a strong correlation with the job satisfaction and work quality of the health care workforce in public health system. Hence, it is imperative to assess what strengthens the retention and improves productivity of a health care worker in the public health system. This thesis explores the systemic challenges and barriers faced by the grassroots health care workers in the primary health centers in urban Bihar. The study involved primary data gathering to conduct a landscape and comparative analysis of the working conditions of health care staff and their interactions with patients and other stakeholders at PHCs and HWCs. 88 interviews were conducted with all cadre of staff working in four PHCs including 32 patients seeking care in the PHCs located in two districts – Madhubani and Sitamarhi. The study identified various systemic challenges such as shortage of healthcare workers, lack of training and appraisals, poor working conditions, infrastructural inadequacies, and socio-economic insecurities. The study also revealed other crucial cross-cutting issues such as governance failures and inter-communication barriers among health cadres. The study recommends creating a rights-based human resource division and minimising the shortage of healthcare professionals with reasonable monetary and non-monetary incentives among others.