Menstrual Hygiene Day 2024: India’s top gynaecologists on how to create a period friendly world

Menstruation is a wholesome and regular course of that entails vaginal bleeding each month. Billions of ladies on the planet menstruate each month, so speaking about intervals must be a standard a part of life. However it’s surrounded by taboos and stigma. There’s a must create a “period-friendly world,” which is the theme of this 12 months’s Menstrual Hygiene Day, noticed on Might 28. On this event, Well being Pictures reached out to a few of India’s prime gynaecologists to share their concept of a #PeriodFriendlyWorld, and the way it may be achieved.

Present free or low-cost menstrual merchandise: Dr Shobha Gupta

Making a period-friendly setting entails a number of key components, says Dr Shobha Gupta.

• Medical doctors ought to actively interact in educating sufferers about menstrual well being. This contains discussing what constitutes a standard menstrual cycle, recognising signs of widespread menstrual problems like dysmenorrhea or menorrhagia, and addressing misconceptions.
• Schooling ought to lengthen to all healthcare employees to make sure a educated and supportive setting.
• Healthcare services ought to present free or low-cost menstrual merchandise. This may be achieved by putting in dispensers for pads and tampons in clinic bogs. Making certain availability reduces stress for sufferers who might begin their intervals unexpectedly.
• Create welcoming and personal areas for menstruating girls. This contains clear, well-stocked restrooms and designated areas the place girls can relaxation in the event that they expertise discomfort.

Encourage open discussions about menstruation inside household: Dr Vaishali Joshi

• Menstruation or month-to-month intervals has been related to loads of social, cultural taboos everywhere in the world. It’s vital to create consciousness about all of the features of menstruation by brazenly discussing it in your individual household. This may assist to sensitise the younger technology no matter their intercourse. It can additionally enable the older technology to acknowledge it and facilitate interval administration in particular person households, says Dr Vaishali Joshi.
• Workshops and consciousness on menstruation administration within the faculties, workplaces, public discussion board, social media occasions with the help from native authorities and authorities, can guarantee period-friendly society and tradition.
• Numerous menstrual administration merchandise like sanitary pads, tampons, menstrual cup and interval panties must be made obtainable and accessible to rural and low socio-economic sections of the society at subsidised fee to enhance affordability and utilization.
• The social awakening to wipe off the stigma round menstruation must be commenced in each family involving male-members of the household, stressing open acceptance and endorsing it as a pure rising up part.

Educate each ladies and boys about menstrual well being: Dr Pratibha Singhal

• Making a #PeriodFriendlyWorld entails a holistic method that addresses menstrual well being and hygiene wants whereas selling training, accessibility, affordability, and destigmatisation, says Dr Pratibha Singhal.
• Moms ought to educate their daughters about menstrual hygiene, and use of varied obtainable menstrual merchandise.
• Promote complete menstrual well being training in faculties, communities, and workplaces to interrupt taboos and dispel myths surrounding menstruation. Educating each ladies and boys about menstrual well being fosters understanding, empathy, and respect.
• Advocate for insurance policies that guarantee entry to inexpensive menstrual merchandise, together with pads, tampons, menstrual cups, and reusable fabric pads. Governments and organisations can present subsidies, distribute free merchandise, or exempt menstrual merchandise from taxes to make them extra accessible.
• Guarantee entry to scrub and personal bogs with correct disposal services in faculties, public areas, workplaces, and communities. Secure and hygienic services are important for managing menstruation with dignity and luxury.
• Encourage community-driven initiatives to provide and distribute low-cost, eco-friendly menstrual merchandise. Supporting native manufacturing not solely creates financial alternatives but additionally ensures availability of culturally applicable merchandise.
• Problem menstrual stigma by way of open conversations and media campaigns. Spotlight constructive narratives about menstruation to empower people and normalise discussions round menstrual well being.
• Advocate for coverage modifications that prioritise menstrual well being and hygiene, together with complete intercourse training, office lodging, and integration of menstrual hygiene administration into healthcare companies.
• Tackle the distinctive wants of marginalised and susceptible populations, together with homeless people, refugees, and incarcerated girls, by offering tailor-made menstrual well being assets and help.
• Advocate for menstrual go away insurance policies and office lodging, similar to versatile work hours and entry to menstrual merchandise and services, to help people experiencing menstrual discomfort.

Share constructive and empowering narratives about menstruation: Dr Bandana Sodhi

• Combine complete menstrual well being training into college curriculum to normalise conversations about intervals from an early age, says Dr Bandana Sodhi.
• Conduct public consciousness campaigns to bust myths and scale back stigma surrounding intervals.
• Present coaching for lecturers, healthcare suppliers, and neighborhood leaders on menstrual well being.
• Implement insurance policies that help menstrual well being within the office, similar to offering free menstrual merchandise in restrooms and permitting versatile break occasions.
• Guarantee faculties have ample services for managing menstruation, together with clear and personal restrooms, and supply free menstrual merchandise to college students.
• Use media and social platforms to share constructive and empowering narratives about menstruation.
• Rejoice menstrual well being milestones, like Menstrual Hygiene Day, to boost consciousness and normalise menstruation.

Bridge the urban-rural divide in menstrual well being and hygiene: Dr Vaishali Sharma

Menstrual hygiene is a crucial a part of girls’s general well being. “It is extremely disturbing to see the extent of menstrual hygiene practiced in lots of rural components of India. Girls proceed to make use of outdated, torn and discarded fabric as menstrual napkins,” says Dr Vaishali Sharma. Whereas the situation is significantly better in city areas, there’s a dire must bridge the urban-rural hole when it comes to consciousness, accessibility and in breaking the disgrace round intervals.

Introduce period-friendly insurance policies in faculties and workplaces: Dr Rashmi Shriya

With ladies experiencing menstruation at more and more youthful ages, there’s a rising want for open dialogue and help, says Dr Rashmi Shriya.

• Colleges, workplaces, and communities should foster an setting the place menstruation isn’t a taboo matter, however a pure a part of life.
• Initiatives like period-friendly insurance policies in workplaces, menstrual hygiene training in faculties, and accessibility to menstrual merchandise are steps in direction of inclusivity and empowerment.

Make interval merchandise inexpensive and accessible: Dr Sharvari Mundhe

Individuals who menstruate know the way tough it may well typically be to carry out every day duties if you find yourself in your intervals. The stigma and hush-hush round intervals solely provides to folks feeling embarrassed, says Dr Sharvari Mundhe.

Additionally Learn

• Many individuals lack fundamental information about menstruation. Academic programmes can empower people to handle their intervals confidently and bust myths.
  Make interval merchandise inexpensive and accessible. You will need to advocate for tax exemptions and wider availability in public areas like faculties and workplaces.
• Public restrooms want well-maintained disposal items and accessible altering areas.
• Open conversations about intervals problem the taboos. So, speak to associates, household, and colleagues, and normalise interval speak as a lot as you’ll be able to.

Cease interval shaming: Dr Shweta Mendiratta

• Unfold the phrase! Speak to your folks, household, and classmates about intervals. It’s a standard physique perform, identical to going to the lavatory. The extra we speak brazenly, the much less disgrace there will probably be, says Dr Shweta Mendiratta.
• Educate your self and others! Be taught concerning the menstrual cycle and totally different interval merchandise.
• Combat for affordability. Interval merchandise will be costly, and a few folks can’t afford them. Help organisations that donate pads and tampons, or speak to your native consultant about making these merchandise extra accessible.
• Be a champion for change. Does your college or office have bogs with bins for interval merchandise? If not, ask for them. Small modifications like these could make a giant distinction for individuals who menstruate.
• Finish interval shaming. If you happen to hear somebody making enjoyable of somebody for having a interval, communicate up. Durations are pure, and no person must be embarrassed about them.

Schooling is the cornerstone of menstrual well being: Dr Bindhu KS

Fostering a #PeriodFriendlyWorld isn’t solely about managing the organic processes of menstruation, says Dr Bindhu KS. It entails a deep understanding of how cultural beliefs, social norms, and financial elements intersect with menstrual well being.

• Schooling serves because the cornerstone of menstrual well being. From understanding menstrual cycles to studying about hygiene practices and recognising menstrual problems, information empowers people to take cost of their reproductive well being. Gynaecologists play a pivotal function in offering correct data and debunking myths surrounding menstruation.
• Entry to menstrual merchandise shouldn’t be a luxurious, however a necessity. From pads and tampons to menstrual cups and interval underwear, there may be a variety of choices obtainable. Nevertheless, affordability stays a barrier for a lot of.
• Gynaecologists can advocate for insurance policies that make menstrual merchandise extra accessible, similar to subsidisation programmes or the combination of menstrual product distribution in healthcare settings. By collaborating with policymakers and NGOs, they’ll work in direction of making certain that nobody has to compromise their well being resulting from monetary constraints.
• Stigma surrounding menstruation manifests in numerous varieties, together with cultural taboos, discriminatory practices, and social exclusion. Gynaecologists witness firsthand the impression of stigma on their sufferers’ psychological and emotional well-being. By fostering open and non-judgmental communication in scientific settings, they create a secure house the place people can focus on their menstrual considerations with out worry of ridicule or disgrace.
• Moreover, gynaecologists can advocate for complete menstrual well being training in faculties and workplaces, difficult misconceptions and selling acceptance and understanding.
• It’s essential to offer households with correct data to problem and overcome the myths surrounding menstruation.

Advocate for insurance policies that promote menstrual fairness: Dr Aruna Kalra

• Offering complete training about menstruation, together with its organic processes, hygiene practices, and debunking myths and taboos, will help normalise discussions round intervals and scale back stigma, says Dr Aruna Kalra.
• Making certain inexpensive and accessible menstrual merchandise similar to pads, tampons, menstrual cups, and reusable fabric pads is essential. Governments, NGOs, and companies can work collectively to subsidise or present free menstrual merchandise, particularly in low-income communities.
• Establishing and sustaining clear and secure restroom services with correct disposal mechanisms for menstrual merchandise in faculties, workplaces, public areas, and communities is crucial for menstrual hygiene administration.
• Advocating for insurance policies that promote menstrual fairness, together with tax exemptions on menstrual merchandise, paid menstrual go away, and inclusion of menstrual well being training at school curriculum, will help create a supportive setting for menstruating ladies.
• Recognising and respecting numerous cultural beliefs and practices surrounding menstruation whereas difficult dangerous norms and practices that perpetuate stigma and discrimination.
• Making certain entry to high quality healthcare companies, together with menstrual well being consultations, screenings, and remedy for menstrual problems, can enhance general menstrual well being and well-being.

Girls need to expertise their intervals with dignity and confidence: Dr Apurva Gupta

To create a #PeriodFriendlyWorld, implement complete menstrual well being training to interrupt taboos, promote easy accessibility to inexpensive and sustainable interval merchandise, present secure and hygienic menstrual services, and guarantee a supportive setting free from stigma and discrimination, says Dr Apurva Gupta. By actively advocating for coverage modifications that prioritise menstrual well being, fostering open conversations about intervals, supporting progressive options, and empowering girls to handle their intervals safely and with dignity, we are able to collectively work in direction of a world the place menstruation is seen as a pure and revered facet of life and never a taboo. By way of collaborative efforts throughout communities, governments, organisations, and folks, we are able to deal with the systemic boundaries that hinder menstrual well being, promote gender equality, and create a extra inclusive and supportive setting for all girls to expertise their intervals with dignity and confidence.

Debunk myths that isolate girls during times: Dr Gandhali Deorukhkar

Making a period-friendly world entails a number of essential steps, notes
Dr Gandhali Deorukhkar.

• You will need to encourage open discussions about interval points in society, permitting women and girls to talk freely about their experiences.
• Offering help throughout cramps, similar to heating pads or massages, will also be very comforting.
• Making certain the simple availability of sanitary pads, even in rural areas of India, is crucial.
• Correct disposal of sanitary merchandise, relatively than flushing or hiding them, must be taught.
• We have to debunk myths that isolate girls throughout their intervals, similar to prohibiting them from touching crops, coming into kitchens, or interacting with sure meals.