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Written By: Editorial Team | Published : September 5, 2018 9:09 PM IST
This Teacher’s Day Let’s Educate Girls About Periods. © Shutterstock
Only 18% of women in India use sanitary pads. Indian menstrual hygiene brand Niine Sanitary Napkins has unveiled a new campaign this Teacher s Day, to bridge the gap between 18 to 82 and educate girls and students generally about periods and menstrual hygiene. The study conducted by the brand has revealed the following:
71% have no knowledge of menstruation before their first period.
82% girls use alternatives, such as an old cloth, rags, hay, sand or ash
88% of adolescent girls are unaware of the health implications that could occur due to poor menstrual hygiene.
The Teacher's Day campaign released by Niine Sanitary Napkins is the latest initiative by the Niine Movement, an ambitious five-year plan aimed at raising awareness on the importance of menstrual hygiene and tackling the taboos associated with menstruation, amongst both genders and across all ages.
Amar Tulsiyan, Founder of the Niine Movement said, Did you know period cramps can be more painful than a heart attack? And that using a new sanitary pad is essential for each use? It s high time we talk about periods and break the silence. It is important to educate girls as well as boys at the right age and at the right time. There are 71% of girls in India who have no knowledge of menstruation before their first period. It is our duty not just to give them access to use sanitary pads but also educate them about periods. Students look up to their teachers as role models and it s a topic which should be spoken about without any stigma attached to it. Mothers and family members rarely discuss period hygiene with the girls because 70% of them believe it to be a dirty subject. With a change in mind-set and more people talking about menstrual hygiene, I am sure we can bridge the gap.
Despite menstruation being an experience lived by as many as 355 million girls and women in India, approximately only 18% of them currently use sanitary napkins with approximately 82% of women often reverting to unhygienic and unsafe alternatives such as old cloths, rags, hay and even ash.
The reasons behind this staggering statistic include decades of archaic attitudes and stigma surrounding menstruation, the lack of choice and accessibility for safe and affordable sanitary products and the limited awareness of the importance of proper menstrual hygiene management; even amongst the 18%, some are still unaware of maintaining proper genital hygiene and the correct usage of the product, often overusing sanitary napkins.
To bridge the gap between 18 to 82%, the Niine Movement is engaging with multi-sector groups in India including governments, corporates and the NGO community to sustain not only a discussion but encourage affirmative action on addressing menstrual hygiene management.
To achieve its vision, the movement s theory of change adopts a three-pronged approach by:
Source: Press release
