Discrimination at Health Center: Experiences of Tribal Women and Midwives in Jharkhand, India

The pivotal concern of this study is to investigate how age, social status, language, and cultural background interact to affect women’s control over and susceptibility to disrespect during birth setting in Jharkhand, India. Women, particularly, belonging from tribal community were directly impacted by disrespect during birth settings, which happens during pregnancy, labor, and the first few weeks following delivery. Hence, the article aims to uncover the effects of disrespect during birth setting on patient’s trust in birth setting facilities and health care teams. Besides, this study also adds to challenge the culture of silence that currently surrounds this issue. The study was conducted in the Sisai block of Jharkhand’s Gumla district, where focus group discussion (FGD) with the assistance of 18 public health midwives (PHMs) and 24 individuals with prior parturition experience were involved. The qualitative data was categorized and analyzed using an intersectional framework, which facilitated the identification of significant themes and patterns. The results show that power dynamics and repressive institutions associated with gender, ethnicity, social, linguistic, and cultural inequality were intertwined with disrespect during birth setting, especially with tribal women. In conclusion, the standard of birthing treatment in India needs to be improved, especially in tribal regions.