Abstract

Seasonal migration for sugarcane harvesting is central to Maharashtra’s agrarian economy, yet the reproductive health experiences of migrant women workers remain inadequately understood. This study explores the lived experiences of women sugarcane workers who have undergone hysterectomy and examines how labour conditions, migration, and healthcare inequalities influence their reproductive health decisions. Guided by the perspectives of Structural Violence, Reproductive Justice, and Gendered Labour Migration, the research adopts a qualitative multi-sited ethnographic design. Data were generated through participant observation and twenty-six semi-structured interviews with women sugarcane workers, healthcare professionals, community health workers, and labour contractors across major sugarcane-producing districts of Maharashtra.

The findings show that hysterectomy is closely associated with demanding labour conditions, debt-based employment, inadequate sanitation, poor access to reproductive healthcare, and the need to sustain continuous work during the harvesting season. These structural constraints often limit women's reproductive choices and contribute to long-term physical and emotional health challenges. The study argues that hysterectomy should be understood within the broader context of labour exploitation, gender inequality, and institutional neglect rather than solely as a medical procedure. The study advances scholarship on migration, gender, and health justice, advocating integrated policies for labour rights, reproductive healthcare, and institutional accountability.