Contraceptive behaviour, capacity building and environmentalism among women in self help groups: some policy concerns

Niyati Joshi, Government of India
C.P. Prakasam, Retired Professor from International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS)

This study provides a first step on understanding capacity building, environmentalism and fertility of a generic group and examines impact of capacity building, environmental conditions on contraceptives use among self help group women. The data has been collected from 340 self help group women members in Faizabad district of Uttar Pradesh during Feb-June, 2006. Independent variables are availability of agricultural land, toilet and drinking water facility within living premises, capacity building about environmental cleanliness, and control variables are age, women’s life experiences, number of currently living children, previous se of contraceptives, SLI and source of contraceptives. Six models of linkages of contraceptive use, capacity building and environmentalism are developed. Capacity building about linkage of RCH and environment and availability of toilet facility within living premises is significantly affecting SHG womens’ contraceptive. Illiterate and SC women are highly adopting environmentalism to change their fertility behaviour.