Reproductive Health Issues of Tribal Women: Voices from the Margins

India is a multicultural country that has many communities, and the Scheduled Tribes (STs) are one of them. Scheduled Tribes are characterised by distinct cultures and a close relationship with the land they inhabit. They face deprivations caused by social, economic, and political exclusion. They are uninformed of their basic rights, and they are victims of domestic violence, starvation, and a variety of other serious health issues. Despite having many health issues in everyday life and during pregnancy, they did not seek medical help because they continued to believe that diseases are always caused by black magic or hostile spirits. Tribal women, like any other social group, account for roughly half of the entire population. The objectives of this study are to compare and understand the trends of reproductive behaviour among Indian and J&K tribes, and to understand the fertility preferences and contraceptive usage among tribal women. This research is based on the both primary and secondary data especially the census and National Family Health Survey of India and in-depth interviews from the field. Keywords: reproductive health, Family Planning, Scheduled Tribes (STs), Gujjars