Good Evening Sir,
First of all I would like to thank YKA to have thought of reaching to the government on the topic which is a taboo and shame in the society till today. I believe with the letters that would come across to you would definitely ignite the government to think over such burning issue which each and every women/girl faces n daily basis.
This letter is coming to you from Chhattisgarh where I have witness various challenges associated with menstruation. If we break the word “Menstruation” it has the “Men” in it, then why the men in our society are not given the knowledge on Menstruation. This is a very pity situation to witness in the in houses that the men’s only come to know about it when certain kind of restrictions are done with the girl, they are kept away from going to the mandir, kitchen, touch the pickle etc.. Even it is also said that the men’s should keep a distance from the bleeding girl/women at that time.
Why don’t the government start a program of educating the men of the society on Menstruation, when we are looking forward for a gender sensitive society, I believe that transforming the thoughts of the men’s along with women would be one of the immediate steps that is needed in the current scenarios. There is sheer lack of correct information within women too which I have felt, and I do not blame them for it, since such myths associated with Menstruation has been followed from generation to generations. Certain rituals are also observed when a girl hits puberty which gives a message to the community that she is now capable of child bearing, no one looks at the pain that the young girl is going through at that time.
I think there are couple of religions myths that needs to abolished because of which girls/women are restricted their mobility. It is time to think about the girl whose confidence is shattered every month upon which such customs and rituals and myths are forced upon her. Itwould be great if the government runs an awareness campaign which would deal in challenging the myths and making the society aware and informed on why Menstruation takes place and what kind of help or comfort could an individual give to the girl/women during that time.