According to the recent CAG report, 72% of the sample toilets in schools had no running water facility and many were partially constructed or non-existent.
In several schools, there are no separate toilets for boys and girls. None of it comes as a surprise when the country’s most ambitious program Swachh Bharat Abhiyaan has conveniently ignored menstruators and Menstrual Health Management (MHM) over the years. And what about menstruators who make it to universities? For a fact, one of prestigious varsity like Delhi University has no said guidelines for MHM.
Impact On Schooling
In India, about 23 million girls drop out of school every year due to periods.
With the onset of menstruation, families pull their girls out from schools because she has attained the “reproductive age.” But on several occasions, they are left with no choice other than dropping out, since the schools fail to provide a proper washroom to tend to their needs. A study finds 12% decline in school enrolment rate for girls in the menarche group.
In rural areas, girls have to travel long distances to attend school. While the Government has made provisions by providing them with cycles, what about basic facilities like a functioning toilet when they reach their schools?
In a co-ed school, the disparity is clearly visible in the ratio. The low number of female staff adds to the problem. In government schools, when the proper infrastructure for regular classes are not available one can only wonder the state of washrooms.
In the urban setup, things are no better. The topic remains under covers as school students are considered too young to have this conversation. Insensitivity among the school staff is alarming. In the name of sex education students are taught a chapter in biology that too in a tone of resentment.
Sometimes, seminars are held around female health products but they are limited to girls’ school or are exclusively meant for female students. The need of the hour is to have an open discussion, especially among the male brethren, who fail to see it as a natural health need.
During young school days, it is important to have a dialogue about menstruation, else, this lack of awareness and concern further adds to the cycle which keeps female hygiene a topic of taboo.
The ‘Whispers’ On Campus
Lack of basic WASH (water, sanitation, hygiene) facilities, a critical component of MHM, is also a common problem on campus. The vending machines rarely function and the disposal facilities are terrible. Absenteeism, discomfort around leaks, restricted mobility etc. gravely affect our performance.
Several menstruators have suffered from UTIs. It is important to understand that a constructed toilet is not the same as a functioning toilet. Institutions across the country were awarded Swacchta Ranking Awards-2019 under various categories, but not even a single college from Delhi university made it to the list.
“I have irregular periods and once I got it during class. I rushed to the vending machines but there were no pads. Went to the medical room only to return empty-handed. I did not want to disturb my friends and it would have gotten messy if I waited for the class to get over. Finally, I went to a nearby store to get one. It was very frustrating”, shares a classmate.
Another says, “I chose not to come to college on days of heavy bleeding. I can take pills for the cramps but what about changing pads? It is not convenient in college washrooms.”
Menstruation is not limited to hygiene; it is also about dignity, privacy and feeling comfortable while tending to a necessary health need. A period-friendly toilet makes menstruation a less stressful experience. But that is impossible, when even basic infrastructural needs like availability of mugs/jets in the washroom, functioning doorknobs are absent and the washrooms are overcrowded. So, staying back home or at hostels, feels like a safer option over sitting with stains during lectures.
Switching to tampons and menstrual cups are an option but even this transition requires knowledge and information which is the very foundation of menstrual hygiene management.
The change is hindered because of fear and lack of resources. One should not forget, a public university is a place where students from different walks of socio-economic and cultural background are present. There is an evident information gap since everyone has not been exposed or educated about such alternatives. Many students are still victims of myths and misconceptions or talk about periods in hushed tones in a co-ed setup. A genuine mood change is reduced to “PMSing” by male companions.
When menstruation is already socially, culturally and religiously tabooed, the idea of intersectional menstruation is way beyond the understanding of the majority, including those who make up the college administration. When such is the condition in a top tier university, one cannot imagine the condition across universities in tier-two states. Is this how we aim to achieve equality on campus?
Why Is Menstrual Hygiene Management Important?
According to WaterAid, lack of water, basic sanitation and hygienic means are the fifth biggest killer of women around the world. Unavailability of safe toilets has caused deaths of almost 800,000 women worldwide in a single year. In India, only 12% of the menstruators (Dasra report) have access to sanitary napkins. Even for menstruators living in privileged urban spaces, sometimes, the availability of feminine hygiene products is limited to online stores.
Along with addressing the gender gap, MHM significantly contributes to the idea of sustainable menstruation. It is the solution to environmental hazards caused by the improper disposal of pads.
It will also lessen the data gap and help in preparing a framework suited to specific geographical needs. The National Education Policy 2020 does promise a ‘Gender Inclusion Fund’ for equitable education. The fund focuses on provisions of sanitation and toilets but does not explicitly mention MHM.
Gender sensitization programs for teaching/non-teaching staff around the same have not been made mandatory in the policy. At the same time, the already existing schemes for MHM like Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram (RKSK) have not served any purpose.
The problem of menstrual hygiene management suffers a general apathy and is trivialized. One can rightly say, it is because of the patriarchal setup and hegemonic structure of power. For a substantial behavioural and attitude change, intervention and engagement at several levels by different stakeholders are required. Not meeting MHM needs is only aggravating the stigma and shame surrounding periods.