Sanitary Napkins Boon or a Taboo?
In the coming years, usage of sanitary napkins has become a sort of social issue for the betterment and benefit of Women’s health. Women are facing early deaths, health issues internally and externally due to the usage of dirty cloth as they did not know anything about Sanitary pad. Awareness and Education in Menstrual hygiene can increase the usage and condition of sanitary pad in India.
The studies and the survey show us the sanitary pad condition in India, which is unbelievable.
- 43% of Indian women do not use Sanitary pad
- 12% of Indian menstruating women use sanitary pad.
- 88% of women opt for different options like unsanitised cloth, ashes, sand bags etc. This all leads to severe infection and other health issues like Reproductive Tract Infection(RTI)
- 62% young women (age group 15 to 24 years) still use cloth.
In India, whether rural or urban areas, women still consider sanitary pad as cultural taboo. This prevents them from using hygienic methods of menstrual protection. The problem increases more when the pad is not provided to women on regular basis, although the price quoted by the Government is very less. Many girls and women feel shy to ask for themselves. Either they will borrow from someone or use dirty, stinky cloth. Especially in villages, and rural areas, one must be appointed to keep the stock of sanitary pad so the women can take it easily from them. According to survey 48% women in rural areas use sanitary pad. 78% women in urban areas use sanitary pad.
Conclusion:
Menstrual hygiene and Sanitation is a much talked topic nowadays. We all need to create more awareness, educate women and men in rural/urban areas in this field. Many NGO’s and Entrepreneurs are working in this direction, by making sanitary pads of lesser price. They also provide women job by letting them work in workshops, run their sanitary napkin factory and also conducting seminars, classes for both the genders. Doctors and hospitals are also coming forward hand in hand by providing proper guidance in menstrual hygiene and sanitation. Among the guidance is – Women must not wear sanitary napkins for more than 8 hours, as it may lead to bacterial infection. Cleanliness is one of the noted and essential factor which every women must follow. By empowering and educating women, we can help in saving many lives.
