The lack of access to information around menstruation in Bihar has created a culture of silence and shame that denies young girls basic rights like education and healthcare. Only 31% girls in the state use clean methods of dealing with menstrual hygiene and almost 95% girls end up dropping out of school.*
The lack of access to information around menstruation in Bihar has created a culture of silence and shame that denies young girls basic rights like education and healthcare. Only 31% girls in the state use clean methods of dealing with menstrual hygiene and almost 95% girls end up dropping out of school.*
*Source: National Family Health Survey-4 and Registrar General and Census Commissioner, India, 2015
Project अल्हड़ (Alharh) is a campaign aimed at creating a robust community in Bhagalpur, a tier–3 city in Bihar, to spread awareness, smash stigma, debunk myths and initiate uninhibited conversations around menstrual health and hygiene. The name of the campaign uses the Hindi word "अल्हड़" which describes someone with childlike playfulness, defining the essence of teenage. Young menstruators are often pushed to let go of their "अल्हड़पन" owing to the damaging silence, judgement and anxiety around menstruation. Our focus is on disrupting this culture of silence and stigma around the menstruator’s reproductive health, which will pave the way for conversations around better access to healthcare and education in the state.
My campaign journey starts with reaching out to at least 6000 adolescent girls in Bhagalpur this year. Join Us!
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Shalini Jha, a native of Bhagalpur district of Bihar, strongly asserts the need to de-stigmatise and normalise menstruation. She believes in equal rights for all genders and wants to work towards a gender just society. Shalini has a year-long association as a community leader with the ‘Health Over Stigma’ campaign, started in 2017 by Haiyya: Organise for Action that aims to fight for young unmarried women’s sexual and reproductive health and rights by ensuring stigma-free healthcare services. An alumna of Miranda House (Delhi University), she is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Literature at Ambedkar University, Delhi.
Shalini Jha, a native of Bhagalpur district of Bihar, strongly asserts the need to de-stigmatise and normalise menstruation. She believes in equal rights for all genders and wants to work towards a gender just society. Shalini has a year-long association as a community leader with the ‘Health Over Stigma’ campaign, started in 2017 by Haiyya: Organise for Action that aims to fight for young unmarried women’s sexual and reproductive health and rights by ensuring stigma-free healthcare services. An alumna of Miranda House (Delhi University), she is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Literature at Ambedkar University, Delhi.
Shalini is a part of the Youth Ki Awaaz Action Network - a bootcamp for you to learn powerful social media campaigning skills to launch your next big campaign to demand better menstrual health, and win a ₹50,000 grant to support your campaign. Learn campaign design and strategy, social media skills, storytelling skills and how influence the media and decision makers to demand action.
Shalini is a part of the Youth Ki Awaaz Action Network - a bootcamp for you to learn powerful social media campaigning skills to launch your next big campaign to demand better menstrual health, and win a ₹50,000 grant to support your campaign. Learn campaign design and strategy, social media skills, storytelling skills and how influence the media and decision makers to demand action.