The Maharashtra State Commission for Women (MSCW) has directed the Beed district authorities to conduct an inquiry over a news report which stated that to avoid hindering work and fines due to menstruation, women were getting their wombs removed.

Earlier, a notice had been issued to Maharashtra Chief Secretary National Commission for Women (NCW) over the news report. Expressing shock over it, the MSCW on Wednesday, April 10, issued a notice directing Beed district collector “to find the truth and act stringently”.

According to the news, which was published in an English Daily, many women in Beed district of Maharashtra have had Hysterectomies. According to the news, it is the villages’ “norm” that women need to get their uterus removed after they have two or three children, because the menstrual periods attract fines and hinder work, reported The Wire.

Why do women go through Hysterectomy?

According to shethepeople.tv, October to March is the cane cutting season in the sugar belt of western Maharashtra, which is when scores of cane cutters migrate there. The migration doubles when the drought in the region intensifies. Contractors have issues with menstruating women as it hinders work. Women asking for leaves due to their periods in the cane cutting culture results in attracting fines. Instead of going through these negative consequences, women prefer having their uterus removed.

Contractors said that they do not force women to go through Hysterectomy, but that it is completely the women’s choice. However, women claimed that they choose to undergo this as they cannot afford to lose any money. The women are provided with the money for the surgery as an advance, which is later recovered from their wages. Hysterectomy often has adverse effects on the women’s health, who might go through hormonal imbalance and weight loss, along with other health issues.

“We have gone through the news report and we found it very disturbing. We have asked the district collector to look into it and submit an inquiry report as soon as possible,” an official of the MSCW said.

On Tuesday, April 9, a notice was issued to Maharashtra Chief Secretary UPS Madan by the chairperson of NCW, to intervene in the matter, initiate legal action and ensure that such atrocities do not take place in future.

The NCW said that it is extremely concerned about the fact that such atrocities are being perpetrated on these women.

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