Menstruation And The Dynamics of Cultural Violence
AshEse Journal of Family and Lifestyle
Vol. 5(1), pp. 044-050, February, 2021
ISSN: 2517-1720
© 2021 AshEse Visionary Limited
Full Length Research
Menstruation And The Dynamics of Cultural Violence
“Violence produces and defines gender identities and, in turn, is produced and defined by them” (Catia C. Confortini)
Shahida Murtaza
Prof and Head, Department of Women Education and Director, Centre for Women’s Studies, Maulana Azad National Urdu University, Gachibowli, Hyderabad. 500032. Telengana, India. E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Received January, 2021; Accepted February, 2021
Across the Commonwealth countries, equitable access to health care and other social services is a shared aspiration. The deficit in health policy and practice however, in most countries, results in inequity and exclusion that has contributed to structural violence against its socially marginalized section - women in their diversities in particular. Often, the contributing factors to women’s morbidity and mortality – both in rich and poor countries - have their origins in societies’ attitudes towards women and which is reflected in the structure and systems that set policies, determine services and create opportunities (WHO-Women’s Health Report, 2011). The past decades have witnessed considerable progress on health front, yet societies still fail women at key areas in their lives. The benefits have not reached equally to every one - too many girls and women are still unable to reach their potential because of persistent health, social and gender inequalities and health system inadequacies. Globally, these are more acute in poor countries and among the poorest women. It is a binding on all Governments to protect, promote and fulfill human dignity, life and health as a human right; notion of structural violence arises when the state fails in its principle to protect it. Structural violence is an “avoidable impairment of fundamental human needs”. It is a major contributing factor for premature death and unnecessary disability (Johan Galtung, Violence, Peace & Peace Research, Journal of Peace Research: 1961).This paper made an attempt to study the dynamics of cultural violence with respect to menstrual practices in India. The empirical study is carried out in few slums. The study concludes that cultural practices play a very damaging role in women's lives; subjugating them to inhuman exclusionary practices and promoting gender inequity.
Key words: Menstrual Hygiene Management, Health, Women and Power structure,Patriarchy, Gender, Cultural Violence.