Fact Sheet: CHARM v. Bihar

The Centre for Health and Resource Management (CHARM) v. State of Bihar is a public interest case that seeks to hold the Government of India accountable for the poor conditions in public health facilities in the state of Bihar. This case was filed after Human Rights Law Network (HRLN) undertook a fact-finding mission in Munger, a district in Bihar, that revealed explicit noncompliance with national health standards and policies. For the first time in an Indian court, the petitioners charge the government with violating the right to freedom from cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment by failing to provide poor pregnant women reliant on state healthcare with access to maternal health services of decent quality. This case is part of a broader legal accountability strategy to address India’s failure to effectively implement maternal health policies and schemes.