It is the need of the hour in a progressive society like India to change the menstrual health regime of the country. The Supreme Court acknowledged the necessity of a procedure to be laid out by policymakers in this regard. On April 10, it directed the Central Government to frame a national policy on menstrual hygiene for school-going girls.
The issue was raised by petitioner Jaya Thakur, a social worker. She averred that the girls between the age group of 11 and 16 years, who are coming from poor and uneducated background, lack access to hygienic methods during menstruation. Contrary to it is the ‘Right to Health’ embedded under Article 21 and the Directive Principles of State Policy, which gives right to live life with dignity and safety under the Indian Constitution.
SC Bench observation
The Chief Justice of India was heading a three-judge Bench on the issue. The court observed: “States also have vital role to play. States should send the Union their menstrual hygiene policies within a period of four weeks. We are nominating the Secretary of MoHFW as the nodal officer to facilitate communication of all ministries and states.
States and UTs shall also indicate the ratio of girls in schools. All states and UTs shall ensure low-cost sanitary napkins and safe disposal mechanism. An updated status report shall be placed on record by union government in three months.’’ The Centre made its stand clear that it had spent over Rs.197 crore for the cause even though health and education are essentially State subjects.
All the states and UTs will also inform the court about the availability of girl toilets, free or subsidised sanitary pads through vending machines and safe disposal mechanisms of sanitary napkins in schools, where girls are enrolled in upper-primary/secondary/ higher secondary classes.
Holistic awareness plan
The petition had not merely asked for the above changes but also asked for a holistic awareness programme having the following components:
- To bring change in the mindset that declares menstruation as a taboo.
- Creating awareness about the necessity of menstruation in a female.
- Ensuring safe and efficient manner of menstrual waste disposal.
- In disadvantaged areas, providing adequate sanitation, facilities, safe water, adequate toilets, and free or subsidised products to women.
Menstruation requires the need of sanitation, hygiene and safe water. It can be a matter of life and death, if infection spreads following unhygienic behavior. According to a report, almost 8,00,000 women around the world died in a single year, making it the fifth biggest killer of women after heart disease, lower respiratory infection and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
