Landscape of Lady Caregivers and Women’s Health in Pakistan
This paper will examine the medicalization of women’s health in the context of 20th century colonial and post-colonial Pakistan. There is a long history of ‘dais’ on the Indian subcontinent that underwent modernization through the synergistic processes of British colonialism and the institutionaliza...
Shranjeno v:
| izdano v: | URI:https://journals.openedition.org/aam, |
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| Glavni avtor: | |
| Format: | Article ou chapitre numérique |
| Jezik: | Anglais |
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Archivio antropologico mediterraneo
2026
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| Teme: | |
| Online dostop: | Accès Université d'Orléans et IFPM Accès Université d'Orléans et IFPM |
| Izvleček: | This paper will examine the medicalization of women’s health in the context of 20th century colonial and post-colonial Pakistan. There is a long history of ‘dais’ on the Indian subcontinent that underwent modernization through the synergistic processes of British colonialism and the institutionalization of the biomedical apparatus. ‘Dais,’ loosely translated to midwives, were women who were known within rural communities to possess healing abilities and knowledge. These women were often called upon to assist at the time of birth due to their expertise with women’s bodies. The knowledge they possessed was passed down experientially. ‘Dais’, while commonly referred to as midwives, often served a much larger scope of healing to the villages and rural areas they served. They were an integral part of Pakistan’s health system during the 20th century but following the colonial encounter their presence declined and their authority has been greatly devalued. A version of dais endures in the model for Lady Health Workers (LHWs). LHWs care for women in both rural and hospital settings in Pakistan and are often specifically trained in two-to-three-year diplomas to address gynecological issues. Drawing on archival research and ethnographic data, this paper will investigate how workers from dais to LHWs shaped the experience of care for women in Pakistan. Further, this paper will consider how the colonial encounter and the transformation and decline of ‘dais’ impacted care and how it was shaped by processes of decolonialization, medicalization, and traditional healing practices. |
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