Background

Having a comprehensive understanding of menstrual health and hygiene related topics is a basic human right, one which many of us in privileged communities take for granted. Unfortunately, not all women are able to access the products they require for optimal menstrual hygiene. It is estimated that 12 percent of the 355 million women in India who menstruate cannot afford period products. A lack of access to hygienic products can bring both physical risks, such as infection, if women resort to using cloths or other unhygienic methods, as well as social consequences, such as missing school. In under-priviliged communities, where women often live without reliable access to basic sanitation facilities, this issue is compounded, making a monthly period a real threat to physical and mental wellbeing. 

Part of the problem when it comes to menstrual health and hygiene is that the topic is often difficult to approach. Longstanding cultural and social norms in India mean that feminine hygiene is often seen as a personal matter, not to be discussed in the open. Approximately half of Indian adolescent girls don’t even know what menstruation is until the first time they bleed, and this lack of information, along with the shame and stigma associated with periods, puts many women at risk. A 2016 study found that 1 in 5 girls disposed of their sanitary towels in unhygienic locations, which threatens the health of both the individual and the community, as well as the environment. For these reasons, it is imperative that more is done to spread awareness about menstrual hygiene related issues in underprivileged communities, as well as to reduce the negative connotations associated with monthly bleeds and ‘female’ issues on a societal level.