Menstruation In India
It is common for people across society to feel uncomfortable about the subject of menstruation. To ensure that menstruators have the necessary support and facilities, it is important that the wider society, communities and families challenge the status quo and break the silence around menstruation.
Coupled with it is the fact that there is a lack of information on the process of menstruation and proper requirements for managing menstruation. The taboos surrounding this issue in society prevents menstruators from articulating their needs and the problems of poor menstrual hygiene management have been largely ignored or misunderstood.
Good menstrual hygiene is crucial for the health, education and dignity of menstruators.
However, menstrual hygiene management is a social issue that cannot be addressed by working in schools alone. In order to ensure that menstruators have the necessary support and facilities, it is important that the wider society, communities and families challenge the status and break the silence around menstruation.
There is a need to change family and community norms and beliefs in this regard. Not being able to talk about their experience and having limited information means that menstruation becomes something to be ashamed of and to hide and is consequently ignored in families, schools and communities.
In many families, the mother has limited experience in explaining the management of menstruation with regard to schooling, mobility or outdoor activities.
It is, therefore, the responsibility of those with influence — including government officials and teachers, to find appropriate ways to talk about the issue and take necessary actions.
Coming Together As A Society
While only menstruators menstruate, everyone in society needs to have a basic understanding of it.
Teachers and school staff have a vital role in sensitising boys and girls, inculcating skills and ensuring they have access to basic water, sanitation and hygiene facilities. Early and appropriate intervention by a teacher can make the difference between an adolescent girl staying in school or dropping out at the onset of menarche.
Menstruators spend on average 3,000 days of their lives menstruating. Men and boys need to positively support their sisters, daughters, wives, aunts and mothers. Community leaders, civil society and self-help groups should act as role models and help society to challenge prejudice and discrimination towards menstruators.
The establishment of support groups, such as the Girls Hygiene Clubs, perhaps linked to the child cabinets, is an essential part of ensuring peer-to-peer learning and sharing of information.
Such groups work well when girls are in charge, take responsibility, provide peer advice and represent girls’ views at school meetings. In the same manner, support groups among girls out of school can be created and the girls to be engaged in the process as described above. Toilet cleaning should not be a duty assigned to such clubs.
There are many Organisations and NGOs in India run by young women to end norms related to menstruation and period poverty. One leading Delhi based NGO, Sachhi Saheli, came forward to break the stigma surrounding menstruation being impure. Digital campaigns such as #abpatachalnedo and #Redspotcampaign are also run by this leading NGO.
So far, we all need to put our efforts and dedication to break the silence on menstruation, including those based on social norms. Equipping adolescent girls with adequate information and skills on menstrual hygiene and its management helps in empowering them with the knowledge that enhances their self-esteem and positively impacts academic performance.