BHUBANESWAR: Odisha may soon have a policy for the management of menstrual health and hygiene (MHH) to ensure all its adolescent girls and women in the reproductive age group practice proper menstrual hygiene and have access to affordable sanitary products by 2030 in the state.
The first-of-its-kind policy prepared by the Indian Institute of Public Health (IIPH), Bhubaneswar in collaboration with Unicef and the state government aims to remove all stigma and discrimination associated with menstruation and empowerment of women and girls to uphold their dignity in pursuit of health, education, and employment.
The draft policy seeks to boost the menstrual health status of women and girls so that they can contribute to the development of the state. It has mandated integrating MHH into activities of all sectors considering its effects on the health and development of women and girls.
As per the proposed policy, the state will develop and disseminate feasible and context-specific guidelines for packaging, distribution, usage, and disposal of menstrual hygiene products in full compliance with the environment-friendly policies.
It has suggested the introduction of MHH education at the primary school level, reducing barriers for women with special needs, and tribal communities during emergencies. Besides, all schools, educational institutions, and workplaces have operational toilets, changing rooms, 24/7 water supply, as well as soaps/detergents for handwash.
Additional Professor of IIPH Bhuputra Panda said the draft policy has been sent to the state government for approval. Once the policy is approved, it will be implemented in close coordination with line departments to achieve the sustainable development goals.
The policy was framed after a study by IIPH and Unicef in three districts - Bhadrak, Balangir, and Koraput to assess the situation of MHH. The study found about three-fourths of the participants knew that menstruation is a physiological process while 14.4 percent were unaware of its etiology.
About 6.7 percent of participants attributed menstruation to a curse of God while 3.9 percent of women said it is caused by a disease and a few of them mentioned it as a blessing of God.
About 61 percent of respondents used only sanitary pads while 31.6 pc used only cloth. About 59.2 percent of participants used to throw into the bush to dispose of the menstrual materials and 7.8 pc still used to throw the absorbents into the toilet.
Two workshops were organised to discuss with the stakeholders about the new policy and seek suggestions to make required modifications. Recommendations received during the workshops were incorporated accordingly.
Panda said Odisha-specific studies indicate that about one-third of girls could not attend school during their menstruation, and some of the key reasons for absenteeism in school were fear of getting stains on clothes and lack of provision for disposal of soiled pads/clothes.
“This signifies the provision of free sanitary pad distribution cannot be a complete solution to maintain MHH. The policy will help mainstream menstrual health within the field of health and development. The main goal is to equip women and girls to make informed choices, end the taboo, and foster a conducive environment that allows them to manage their periods with dignity,” he added.
Menstrual health management
-Policy aims to remove stigma and discrimination
-To develop a guideline for packaging, distribution, usage, and disposal of menstrual
hygiene
-To boost the menstrual health status of women and girls
-Introduction of menstrual health and hygiene education at the primary school level