Publications – Sama – Resource Group for Women and Health

Mental Health and Sickle Cell Disease: What Policy Leaves Unseen

By admin May 13, 2026 May 14, 2026 Blogposts, Our Work, Publications, Reproductive and Disability Justice & Sickle Cell Disease

Behind every Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) diagnosis lies a narrative of anxiety, stress, isolation, grief, pain, and resilience. Our work with women and young women from marginalised communities illustrates how mental health remains the most overlooked aspect of SCD. This dimension is often unrecognised by families, overlooked in policy, and inadequately addressed by the health system. This blog attempts to bring that experience to the centre. Continue reading

Zine Posters on Sickle Cell Disease

By admin April 6, 2026 April 8, 2026 Our Work, Posters, Publications, Reproductive and Disability Justice & Sickle Cell Disease

To mark World Health Day, we are sharing two zines that look beyond the biomedical framework of Sickle Cell Disease to highlight the lived experience of the condition and explore what it means to live with Sickle Cell Disease. Continue reading

Health without violence: Comprehensive response to GBV

By admin March 18, 2025 March 22, 2025 Blogposts, Gender Based Violence, Our Work

We began this new year (2025) with organising a Short Course for healthcare providers on ‘Addressing Gender-based Violence as a Public Health Issue’. This was organised as a residential programme in Bhopal from January 6th to 10th in which 15 participants joined us from 10 different states. This marks a significant milestone in our efforts, as Sama has dedicated more than a decade and a half to advancing the recognition of gender-based violence (GBV) as a critical public health issue. Continue reading

“Can we hear the cuckoo’s voice?”: The unforgettable Vivaldi and the climate crisis

By admin December 30, 2024 December 30, 2024 Blogposts, Publications

As we approach the end of 2024 and the start of a new year, this blog post by our volunteer, Ragini De, cautions that we are reaching a point where experiencing distinct seasons might be a thing of the past, which is an idea she weaves through vivid descriptions and an engagement with Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons.” Continue reading

Challenging Control: The Continuing Struggle for Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights

By admin November 5, 2024 December 30, 2024 Blogposts, Our Work, Publications, Sexual and Reproductive Health

The patriarchal need to control sexuality significantly influences discussions on sexual and reproductive health rights (SRHR). Women, young girls, gender-diverse people, and disabled individuals face stigma and humiliation when seeking SRHR services, including abortion. Access to comprehensive sexuality education is restricted, increasing vulnerability to gender-based violence. India recently proposed restricting the over-the-counter selling of emergency contraceptive pills, but international laws recognize emergency contraception as a basic human right. Continue reading

People with sickle cell disease face damaging stigma

By admin July 14, 2024 November 6, 2024 Articles and Edited Volumes, Our Work, Publications, Reproductive and Disability Justice & Sickle Cell Disease

Stigma and bias erode wellbeing and exacerbate psychological harm, particularly for people from marginalised communities, especially women. Many with the disease are reluctant to reveal their status because of concerns about prejudice and criticism, often choosing to live in secrecy. Continue reading

Category: Publications