Slum Widows and Substance Use Disorder: Community Organization to Community Development in Slum of India

• In Event: Fragile Contexts and Global Community Disruption

Abstract

Drug abuse is almost prevalent in every section of the society worldwide. Nonetheless, prevalence of drug abuse and patterns of drug consumption vary by population type. Slum dwellers face unique socio-economic challenges, making it crucial to study substance abuse within this marginalized group.
The paper focuses on the consequences of substance use disorder among slum dwellers, particularly in the Belbagh slum community of Jabalpur District, Madhya Pradesh. It examines the devastating impact of drug addiction on families, with a specific focus on widows who lose their husbands to substance abuse, thereby facing economic hardship and social stigma. A qualitative research design, utilizing narrative interviews, home visits, and non-participatory observation to explore the socio-economic impact of substance abuse on widows in the Belbagh slum. Snowball sampling identified participants, and face-to-face interviews captured their lived experiences, challenges, and coping strategies. By highlighting these issues, the research seeks to fill critical gaps in understanding substance use disorder in slum populations and provide insights for policy interventions and community-based support systems. It is at this crossroad; the community organization (Kalyani Seva Samuh) and its practices endeavored towards community development using Jack Rothman, Weil and Gamble framework.

Authors

• Shubhendu Shekhar, London School of Economics and Political Science

• Anand Banskar, LAW Foundation

• Praveen Kumar, LAW Foundation