Ruchira Bhattacharya
@nirdpr.org.in
Assistant Professor, Gender Studies and Development
National Institute of Rural Development
EDUCATION
Ph D in Regional Development
RESEARCH INTERESTS
Development economics, gender and development, food security, public policy and policy analysis
Scopus Publications
Scholar Citations
Scholar h-index
Scholar i10-index
Scopus Publications
Ruchira Bhattacharya and Joseph K. Ravi
National Institute of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj
Ruchira Bhattacharya
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
This study investigates the effect of social identity (caste, religion, gender, and asset) on adult chronic energy deficiency (CED) using the Indian Human Development Survey (IHDS) data from 2005 and 2011. From 2005 to 2011, out of 63,323 adult individuals, four-fifths (85.7%) of men and two-fifths (44.7%) of women improved their health status from CED to non-CED. The lowest improvement was observed among Dalit (Scheduled Casts, Scheduled Tribes) women: 41.9% moved from CED to non-CED status. We also find significant differences in prevalence of CED between Dalit and non-Dalit individuals and households. To achieve a significant improvement in CED, programs targeting malnourishment must be prioritized the Dalit households.
Bidhubhusan Mahapatra, Ruchira Bhattacharya, Yamini Atmavilas, and Niranjan Saggurti
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Measuring vulnerability and identifying determinants of vulnerability are key to designing interventions for marginalized groups like sex workers. The current study introduces a new approach of measuring vulnerability among female sex workers (FSWs) by adopting a multidimensional poverty measurement framework. A multidimensional vulnerability index was created from four dimensions and 16 indicators using a dual cut-off approach. The study found that 55% of FSWs were multidimensionally vulnerable with 48% of intensity in vulnerability. The overall value of multidimensional vulnerability index was 0.265. FSWs in Maharashtra were most vulnerable (82%). Lack of financial security contributed mostly to FSWs’ vulnerability. Further, compared to less vulnerable FSWs, multidimensionally vulnerable ones were more to engage in behaviors that put them at risk such as inconsistent use of condoms with clients, alcohol consumption, engaging in anal sex with clients and experiencing sexually transmitted infections. Findings suggest that structural, social and financial vulnerabilities of FSWs need to be addressed concurrently.
Sanyukta Mathur, Jerry Okal, Maurice Musheke, Nanlesta Pilgrim, Sangram Kishor Patel, Ruchira Bhattacharya, Nrupa Jani, James Matheka, Lunda Banda, Drosin Mulenga,et al.
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Background While links between intimate-partner violence (IPV) and HIV risk have been established, less is known about violence perpetrated by people other than intimate partners. In addition, much of the research on IPV has been conducted with adults, while relatively little is known about violence experienced by adolescent girls and young women (AGYW). We examined experiences of sexual violence and associated sexual and mental health among AGYW in Kenya and Zambia. Methods Using cross-sectional surveys with women aged 15–24 years, we assessed experience of partner sexual violence among respondents who reported a boyfriend/husband in the last 12 months (Kenya N = 597; Zambia N = 426) and non-partner sexual violence among all respondents (Kenya N = 1778; Zambia N = 1915). We conducted logistic regression analyses to examine experiences of sexual violence and health outcomes. Results Sexual violence from intimate partners over the last year was reported by 19.1 percent of AGYW respondents in Kenya and 22.2 percent in Zambia; sexual violence from non-partners was reported by 21.4 percent in Kenya and 16.9 percent in Zambia. Experience of sexual violence was associated with negative health outcomes. Violence from non-partners was associated with increased odds of STI symptoms and increased levels of anxiety and depression. Results were similar for violence from partners, although only significant in Kenya. While sexual violence from a non-partner was associated with increased HIV risk perception, it was not associated when the violence was experienced from an intimate partner. Conclusions AGYW reported high levels of sexual violence from both intimate partners and non-partners. These experiences were associated with negative health outcomes, though there were some differences by country context. Strengthening sexual violence prevention programs, increasing sexual violence screening, and expanding the provision of post-violence care are needed to reduce intimate and non-partner violence and the effects of violence on AGYW.
Omaid Najmuddin, Xiangzheng Deng, and Ruchira Bhattacharya
MDPI AG
To cope with the growing agrarian crises in Afghanistan, the government (following the fall of the Taliban regime in 2002) has taken measures through cropland expansion “extensification” and switching to mechanized agriculture “intensification”. However, cropland expansion, on one hand, disturbs the existing land use/cover (LULC) and, on other hand, many socio-economic and biophysical factors affect this process. This study was based on the Kabul River Basin to answer two questions: Firstly, what was the change in LULC since 2001 to 2010 and, secondly, what are the drivers of cropland change. We used the spatial calculating model (SCM) for LULC change and binomial logistic regression (BLR) for drivers of cropland change. The net change shows that cropland, grassland, water-bodies, and built-up areas were increased, while forest, unused, and snow/ice areas were decreased. Cropland was expanded by 13%, which was positively affected by low and plain landforms, slope, soil depth, investment on agriculture and distance to the city, while it was negatively affected by plateaus and hill landforms, dry semi-arid, moist semi-arid, and sub-humid zones, precipitation, population, and the distance to roads and water. Climate adaptation measures, cropland protection in flood prone zones, population and rural migration control, farmer access to credit, irrigation, and inputs are necessary for agricultural deployment.
Ruchira Bhattacharya
SAGE Publications
This article examines the adequacy of private expenditure on education and health in the All India urban Poverty Line Basket (PLB) proposed by the Tendulkar Committee. Estimating the normative expenditures for education and health care and comparing them with the level of expenditure at poverty lines suggested by the Tendulkar Committee, the article observes that the revised PLB does not satisfy the normative level of expenditure required at the poverty line class. Adjusting the starting point of index multiplication upward by adding the normative cost of education and health care to the existing PLB, it attempts to answer the question whether households can afford adequate expenditure on education and medical care if they are simply provided with the value required. The results show that the normative expenditure is unmet even after an upward revision and that the poverty line monthly expenditure level, where households actually spend the normative amount of social expenditure, is far above the PLB. The other implication is that targeting based on a poverty line that does not satisfy social expenditure will leave out impoverished households. The article concludes that households at the poverty line class cannot take the social expenditure burden, nor can a transfer of adequate value make them capable of spending it. Rather, the social services should be provided by the government to all households so that they do not have to bear the expenses and that targeting is not required.