Global campaign around menstruation seeks to break taboos around the subject.
A blood stain on the clothes is every menstruating girl’s worst nightmare and if you are a young girl growing up with no access to sanitary napkins, period days are anything but fun.
On World Menstrual Hygiene Day marked on May 28, NGOs hope to break the taboos that surround menstruation in India and several other parts of the world.
So what does the onset of puberty mean for an adolescent girl in India? “While there are no large scale studies done on the subject, there is some evidence from small studies that suggest that girls may miss schools – especially where basic infrastructure like toilet, water and hygiene facilities are missing. This makes it difficult for her to change the pad or cloth that she is using,” says Dr Arundati Murlidharan, Manager Policy (Health & Nutrition and WASH in Schools) at WaterAid India.
Absence of water in schools and public places makes it impossible for adolescent girls to maintain their sanitation during this time. Access to accurate information too plays a key role.
Bad hygiene during menstruation will not only lead to short term issues like rashes and infections but it could magnify in some cases into reproductive tract infections.
Menstrual taboos
Menstrual taboos range from being kept out of places of worship to not being allowed to cook while women are menstruating.
But is urban India better than rural India when it comes to dealing with taboos? “While there is some regional variation in terms of taboos, and even in highly educated, urban families there will be some menstrual taboo story,” Dr Murlidharan explained.
Girls belonging to low-income communities are especially vulnerable as they lack access to crucial information.
Mothers continue to remain the first point of contact for most girl which is why informed mothers can make all the difference.
The effort is also to address the men, healthcare workers and the extended family who form the immediate environment for the adolescent girls.
Problem with disposal of waste
While menstrual hygiene is being seen as linked to access to sanitary napkins, there is also growing concern among environmentalists about this waste which tends to be non-biodegradable.
To that Dr Murlidharan says, “Women should be able to use what they want to whether it is a clean cotton cloth, sanitary napkin or menstrual cups. While there is no right answer here, we will need to figure out how to deal with the waste generated by sanitary pads.”
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