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Review of Social Sciences and Humanities Research

ISSN: 3107-7978 (Online) | Frequency: Half-yearly | Type: Open Access | Peer Review: Double Blind

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Inclusive Healthcare in Emerging Economies: Regional Insights from Bihar’s Women with Disabilities

  • Jahanvi* Jahanvi Corresponding author Research Scholar Department of Geography, Patna University, India India Jahanvi ORCID Id ,  
  • Awadhesh Kumar Awadhesh Kumar Assistant Professor Department of Geography, Patna Women’s College, Patna University, India India
Received: March 20, 2026
Accepted: May 15, 2026
Published: June 23, 2026
Volume: 2 (1) | Page: 1-12

Abstract

Health is a basic human right and fundamental to the Indian constitution; good health and well-being are central to our very existence. Women in rural India face barriers in accessing healthcare services because of the infrastructural issues, geographical disadvantages, lack of transport services, etc., and this intensifies already existing problems for the disabled women. In spite of so many government policies and initiatives, including the National Health Mission (NHM), disabled women still face significant barriers in accessing healthcare services. This Paper examines the relationship between the realization of the right to healthcare for disabled women and geographical accessibility in rural Bihar. This study is a review paper conducted for the years 2015-2026. A systematic literature search was conducted using Google Scholar, and relevant literature, policy documents, and government reports were selected using the PRISMA framework. The selected literature was categorized under different themes for analysis, and it emphasized how gender, disability, lack of legal knowledge or awareness, long distance to healthcare centers, and uneven distribution of healthcare resources intensify healthcare exclusion of disabled women. The findings suggest that, while the NHM has played a significant role in rural healthcare, its expansion still lacks in providing disability inclusive healthcare services. This paper highlights the need for inclusive health policies under NHM for realizing the right to healthcare for disabled women in rural Bihar. The paper contributes to the ongoing discussion on disability-friendly healthcare services, accessibility, and inclusive public health policy in India. While the study is regionally focused on Bihar, its findings resonate with broader challenges faced by women with disabilities in emerging economies, where infrastructural deficits, uneven healthcare distribution, and policy gaps remain common.

Keywords: Women with Disabilities, Healthcare Accessibility, Geographical Barriers, National Health Mission, Right to Healthcare.

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