“The Path Is Made by Walking”: Policy Assurance and Women Claiming Health Rights in Uttar Pradesh, India

The chapter aims to analyze the sustained campaign to promote women’s reproductive health and rights between 2000 and 2016 by three key actors in Uttar Pradesh, India: SAHAYOG, a nonprofit social change organization; Healthwatch UP-Bihar (later Healthwatch Forum UP or HWF), a civil society advocacy coalition; and the Mahila Swasthya Adhikar Manch (MSAM or the Women’s Health Rights Forum), a platform of grassroots women leaders. The analysis is based on the archival materials of the HWF campaigns, articles published in journals or books, documentary films, and other materials. This chapter describes how SAHAYOG, HWF, and MSAM challenged gender-based inequities in health policies and programs, using a range of methods to achieve their goals. This chapter reflects upon their experiences to draw out some key lessons on advocacy, activism, and social action on gender and health. The chapter sets out the three distinct strands of strategies adopted, which were often intertwined and concurrently used, examines the outcomes and challenges, and, in conclusion, draws out the lessons learned to analyze what works and why.