Menstruation is a natural physiological process that indicates the start of reproductive life, however, it is sometimes seen as an unhygienic phenomena in Indian society. Inadequate or erroneous knowledge about menstruation is frequently the source of unwarranted restrictions in the everyday routine activities of menstrual females, resulting in a variety of psychological disorders.
Furthermore, a lack of understanding and awareness leads to some bad personal sanitary habits during menstruation and results in numerous reproductive tract infections. Menstruation is fraught with myths and taboos in rural India. Clothes spoilt during your periods should be washed before being buried or reused. Washing and drying is to be done secretly or in a hidden corner so that it cannot be seen by others.
Menstrual hygiene is influenced by the educational, economical and cultural standing of the household. Menstrual health is also influenced by school curricula. Menstrual hygiene issues also have a significant influence on increased sensitivity to reproductive tract infection (RTI). Currently, millions of womxn suffer from RTIs and the infection is passed on to their children. Womxn who are aware of menstruation hygiene are less exposed to RTIs and their later repercussions.
As a result, an improved understanding of menstruation at the beginning of adolescence aids in the alleviation of misery for millions of womxn. According to many researches, there exists a significant information gap about menstruation hygiene among rural and urban teenage females.
Menstruation is seldom publicly discussed in families or schools. It is believed that more than half of all females are unaware of menstruation when they first begin their periods. Their moms are too embarrassed to talk about it and they typically lack awareness of the biological cause for menstruation as well as appropriate period management techniques.
Schools, for the most part, do not fill this need either. The topic is rarely mentioned in schools and instructors frequently find it humiliating, fostering a culture of shame and secrecy surrounding menstruation.
Furthermore, most rural womxn are either unaware or too poor to purchase sanitary napkins or tampons. In fact, it is believed that just 15% of Indian womxn have access to sanitary pads. Cloth is the most frequent option and while it is not inherently unsanitary, its use without sufficient care raises the risk of infection and other illnesses.
Misinformation and shame frequently lead to womxn using unhygienic menstrual management methods such as soiled rags, leaves, sand or ash. Despite significant advancements in water and sanitation, the needs and wants of teenage girls and womxn remain overlooked.
Public policies and strategies to guarantee that all learning and working settings are gender-inclusive are critically needed. Building private and clean toilets in rural schools, ensuring the availability and accessibility of sanitary napkins, and imposing mandatory menstrual health classes for both boys and girls are all important measures that can potentially prevent many girls from being absent or dropping out of school.
Furthermore, all womxn should have access to good quality sanitary pads.
After all, every girl deserves this basic right of hygiene. It’s a basic necessity.
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