A draft menstrual hygiene policy is finally out

Subject: Schemes

Section: Vulnerable

Quick facts

According to the UN globally 1.2 billion women lack access to basic sanitation and hygiene.
About 71% of girls in India are unaware about menstruation before their first period.
Out of 10.8 lakh government schools, 15,000 have no toilets and 42,000 lack drinking water.
According to National Family Health Survey-5 findings:
49.3% of girls use cloth and 15.2% use locally produced napkins.
Bihar (59.7%) has the lowest percentage of girls using a hygienic method, followed by Madhya Pradesh (61%) and Meghalaya (65.6%).
Girls with higher than the secondary level of education are more than twice as likely to be using a hygienic method as girls without any education level.

About Draft Policy

Vision

All women, girls and persons who menstruate are able to experience menstruation in a manner that is safe, healthy and free from stigma.

Goal

Each girl, woman and person who menstruates across India can access safe and dignified menstrual hygiene resources in order to improve their quality of life and thereby realize their full potential in health and wellbeing, education, economic and other aspects of life.

Objectives

To ensure that women, girls and persons who menstruate have access to safe, hygienic and quality menstrual products and sanitation facilities.
To create an enabling environment for people including women, girls, men and boys so that they have access to correct information on menstruation, and to address myths, stigma and gender issues around menstruation.
To provide a coordination mechanism among different Central Government Ministries, States/ UTs and relevant stakeholders and sectors.
To create a ‘menstrual friendly environment’ in all settings including homes, schools/ educational institutions, workplaces and public spaces.
To foster innovative practices with social entrepreneurs and the private sector.
To strengthen environmentally sustainable menstrual waste disposal.

Target

The policy caters to the needs of and covers all who menstruate in rural, urban and tribal areas, as well as in educational institutions, workplaces, healthcare settings and other public places. This includes adolescent girls, women in the reproductive age group, people with special needs or hard to reach populations including disabled folks, trans populations, orphans, destitute populations , tribal populations, prisoners, all other marginalized communities, and those with differential needs during emergency situations.

What are the other measures taken by governments for menstrual hygiene?

Menstrual Hygiene Scheme- Launched in 2011 to provide sanitary pads to girls aged 10 to 19 at a nominal rate.
Suvidha scheme – Launched in 2019 to distribute eco-friendly and biodegradable pads at a subsidized rate.
As of 2021-22 over 1,128 lakh pads are distributed under this scheme.
Rashtriya Kishor SwasthyaKaryakram – Focuses on promoting sexual and reproductive wellness for all adolescents.
Mini incinerators – The Union Government in 2013 issued guidelines for setting up mini incinerators in schools to burn sanitary waste.

What are the challenges to menstrual hygiene?

Since sanitary pads contain plastics the disposing via incinerators causes emissions.
Various challenges in the scheme implementations such as lack of funds, poor quality and irregular supply of sanitary pads.
Non uniformity of the schemes across India.
The nominal rate of the pads is not affordable by marginalized girls.
Prevailing stigma in the society adding to low awareness about menstrual hygiene.
Awareness programs face administrative challenges too.
Lack of female teachers at school to distribute the sanitary napkins to girls.