When the Hen Crows: Obstacles that Prevent Indigenous Women from Influencing Health-care Policies – A Case Study of Shillong, Meghalaya, India

Meghalaya is a landlocked and largely agrarian state in northeast India with an approximate population of three million. Various government surveys report that roughly half the state lives below the poverty line. Most people live in rural areas, but in recent years Meghalaya has experienced rapid population growth and urbanisation: between 2001 and 2011, Meghalaya’s cities grew 20 per cent. This has put increasing pressure on urban areas. Today, one out of five people in the capital of Shillong are slum dwellers.Despite living in a matrilineal society, when it comes to health and education, women in Meghalaya lag behind their peers in other northeastern states. The state has some of the worst maternal health indices and the highest unmet contraceptive need in India. This paper examines how the Indian state prioritises health needs, and how and whether poor and indigenous women are able to participate in decisions about their sexual and reproductive health. The focus is on the indigenous Khasi population in Meghalaya, with its traditional systems of governance that exist in tandem with India’s modern institutions. Literature and document reviews, documented participation through interviews and focus group discussions at these different levels in Shillong help explain what opportunities and barriers women have for political participation.