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Urbanization is the process through which a society moves from a rural structure to one in which an increasing percentage of the population resides in towns and cities. Numerous data variables are used as the foundation for measuring urbanization levels. These indicators include a growth in the number of towns, a rise in the proportion of people living in cities to the overall population, an increase in the number of people living in urban areas, and an increase in urban density. Natural population expansion, an increase in the number of towns, and urban ward mobility are some of the demographic foundations of urbanization. Geographical considerations are urbanization-related determinants. Economic, socio-cultural, and political variables (Murya, 2011). Because of the sharp decline in the mortality rate, there has been rapid natural growth in the urban population, which has significantly increased the long-term supply of labour. Even if most developed nations' fertility rates drastically decreased due to considerable changes in the socioeconomic life styles of the urban population, the natural growth of the urban population in developing countries is not noticeably lower than that of the rural population ( Arupt Mitra). According to the 2011 Census, the Municipal Corporation of Prayagraj (MCA) is in cover of an area of 82 sq km and 11, 17,094 inhabitants, of whom 601,363 are male and 515,731 are female. There are 102,556 children (0–6 years) in the city of Prayagraj, of which 54,660 are males and 47,896 are girls. 9.12% of the population of Prayagraj City is made up of children. Between 1951 and 2011, the town's population grew steadily although at a variety of decadal rates. From 332,295 in 1931 to 11, 17,095 in 2011, there has been a four-fold growth in population during the past six decades. Along with the Cantonment Board and urban outgrowths, Prayagraj City is included in the Prayagraj Metropolitan Area.

The research conducted by Kraemer et al. (2008).  It was shown that a variety of characteristics, including older age, unskilled labor, financial difficulties, congestion, living without power, and living without access to clean water, were substantially connected with undernutrition. According to reports, 44% of slum dwellers don't meet their daily dietary needs. Bhagat (2011) highlighted in his study that the availability of basic facilities differs depending on the degree of urbanisation and the size category of cities and towns. Mahmoodi et al. (2021) found that women who live in slum areas are more likely to suffer from mental illnesses and have poorer mental health; as a result, it is important to support these women and create job opportunities to increase their incomes and, subsequently, improve their social, economic, and living conditions. In his research, Pawar (2012) emphasises on the importance of education and employment in determining a population's socioeconomic level. Along with these factors, caste is also taken into account. Slums are unclean areas to build human communities.  According to Singh's (2016) research, the socioeconomic situation of slum residents is often low due to a lack of essential social amenities including practical skills, a good education, a source of income, and resources for sanitation and health. The Indian slums have an extremely poor socio-economic status, according to Rani et al. (2019). There has to be an urgent appeal to improve the slums' cleanliness and sanitation. The nutritional status of slum inhabitants is extremely poor, especially for women and children.  In his study, Datta (2006) hypothesized that urbanisation is a result of the population boom and poverty-related rural-to-urban migration. Urbanization is taking place as a result of rural push, not urban pull. The adverse effects of India's urbanization process are being addressed via globalization, liberalization, and privatization. In their study, Tsala et al. (2018) discovered that women from wealthier families had increased access to and use of maternal health care. Women's education was positively correlated with the type of prenatal care provider, the time and number of antenatal care visits, the location of delivery, and the presence of a trained birth attendant during delivery, according to multivariate analyses. Numerous additional elements were shown to be strongly related.

A list of the slums was obtained from the Municipal Corporation of Allahabad. 97 slum settlements in the city. 6 slums selected randomly from the list. The study population comprises of women aged 15-49 years with a sample size of 50 women of reproductive age range of 15- 49 from slums of Prayagraj city. This study used structured interviews schedule for women.

Socio-Economic profile of study population

This section presents the socio-economic characteristics of the women living in slums. Socio-economic profile comprises of age of respondents, education, occupation, caste their religion, family Monty income, family type, age of marriage etc. 

  

Table 1 Socio- Economic Profile of the Women in the Slums of Prayagraj City (N=50)

Socio-Economic characteristic of the eligible women is show in Table1. Respondents are grouped in four age categories: age group <20 years, 20-24 years, 25- 30 years, and >30 years. It indicates that around twelve per cent of the women are in the age group of <20 years, thirty two per cent of women in 20-24 years, forty four per cent in 25-30 years, ten per cent in >30 years (Table 1).The educational status of the respondent women in the study area is classified as illiterate,   primary education, secondary education, and higher secondary education and above. The educational status of women about sixty eight per cent of women are illiterate, twenty six per cent of women have primary education, four per cent women secondary education, two per cent of women’s have higher  secondary education, The age of the husband are ages grouped <25 years, and 25- 29 years, and 30-34, >35 years. It indicates that about ten per cent are in the age group of <25 years, sixty four per cent in 25-29 years old, twenty four per cent in 30-34 years, two per cent in >_35 years. The literacy rates among the husbands are also classified as same in case of educational status of respondents. The literacy status of respondent’s husbands in the study area. It is clear from the table that 56 percent of husbands are illiterate, thirty four per cent of husbands have primary level education, eight per cent of husbands have secondary education, and two percent of husbands have higher secondary education.

The nature of work of sample respondents is domestic workers’, domestic servant, and rag pickers. The economic status of women is determined not only by their income but also their husband’s income also. About eighty four percent of respondents’ husbands are workers and only sixteen per cent are non workers. Out of working husbands, four per cent of husbands are permanent salaries employee, ten per cent are temporary salaries employee, seventy per cent are daily wage laborers, and sixteen per cent are not working. Monthly income of the sample respondents including their husband’s income and family income is categorized in to three groups like those who have monthly income of less than rupees 5000, in between rupees 5000-9999, >10000. About sixty eight per cent of respondents have monthly income less than 5000, twenty eight per cent have income in between rupees 5000 to rupees 9999, two per cent have income >10000. About eighty per cent of women hold ration card and twenty per cent have no ration card. Seventy per cent women are belonging to schedule castes, twenty eight per cent women are belonging to other backward classes, and only two per cent are in general categories. Seventy six per cent women are belonging to Hindu, and twenty four per cent respondents were Muslim. Out of the total (50) sample respondents fifty per cent women are belong to nuclear families and fifty per cent women in joint families. The type of house of the respondent in the study area as hundred per cent in Kutccha houses. Eighty two per cent migrants and non migrants women are living in owned house, eighteen per cent of mothers are living in rented houses.

Location of slums in Prayagraj City

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