Srinagar, Jan. 27 -- Women in Kashmir, as with most parts of the eastern world, have been living in a male dominated society, in patriarchal families where a joint family system pre-existed. Traditionally, there was already a weak health care system, which was administratively centralized in nature.

It is now more than established that women's health problems were not treated properly, punctually and entirely. This may be explained partly in terms of illiteracy, poverty, ignorance, non-availability of doctors, facilities and medicines and partly be cultural lag, cultural ethos and cultural practices. In that situation, if men fell ill, they received medical attention immediately. On the other hand, if a woman fell ill, she did not receiv...