Last week, Pinarayi Vijayan, the Chief Minister of Kerala, made the following announcement on Facebook:
“Every woman has a right to menstrual hygiene. The government’s ‘She Pad’ scheme is aimed to distribute healthy and clean sanitary pads to all school students across the state. An eco-friendly disposal system and distilleries for used pads will be distributed as part of the scheme. An estimated Rs 30 crore will be spent on this scheme in the next few years. The project is being implemented with the support of local self-government institutions under the leadership of the State Women Development Corporation.”
In other words, every school in Kerala will now have sanitary napkin vending machines. The number of machines will be in proportion to the number of female students.
Lack of menstrual hygiene is a huge concern in our country, with only under 30 per cent young girls and women who have access to sanitary napkins. Because of lack of access, affordability, and awareness, many girls across the country end up missing school when they are menstruating, and a whopping 23 per cent even drop out of school when they start menstruating.
Menstruation is a normal biological process, and should not interfere with one’s daily life. It shouldn’t be a taboo either. This wonderful move by the Kerala government addresses both these concerns, and we hope that other states follow suit.
