NEW DELHI: Laying emphasis on the fact that public health is a state subject, the Central government has told the Supreme Court that the implementation of schemes relating to menstrual hygiene falls within the domain of states. “Public health is a state subject and the responsibility of providing healthcare services is that of respective state governments. The Central government and its agencies are not the implementing bodies for schemes relating to menstrual health, and it is in fact the states and their agencies which are at the forefront of enforcement of those policies,” the affidavit stated filed before the top court stated.
While responding to a plea filed by Congress MP Jaya Thakur seeking free sanitary napkins, the Centre has also said that the government has approved more than `197 crore for the year 2022-23 to states for implementing menstrual hygiene policies. It was also submitted in the affidavit that procurement of sanitary napkins from 2015-16 is being supported by the National Health Mission through state programme implementation plans (PIP) based on proposals received by the states. Underscoring it’s dedication of improving access to menstrual hygiene for young and adolescent girls, health ministry in its affidavit has stated that it has undertaken awareness and training programmes and made necessary resources available to girls across the country.
“Moreover, traditionally, there have been practices of using old clothes as pads by recycling them, use of ash or straw, which not only affect menstrual hygiene but also have long-term implications to reproductive health of a woman. The government is dedicated to increase awareness among adolescent girls on menstrual hygiene, building self-esteem and empowering girls for better socialisation, inlcuding increasing access to and use of high-quality sanitary napkins for girls in rural areas,” the ministry said.
The plea wherein relief was also sought for provision of separate toilet in all government and residential schools argued that inadequate menstrual hygiene management options were major barriers to education since many girls dropped out of school due to lack of access to sanitation facilities. The plea highlighted lack of access to hygienic methods for females aged 11 to 16 years.
“Access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene during menstruation can be a matter of life and death for a woman. According to a report published by Water Aid, illnesses related to a lack of water, basic sanitation and hygiene were responsible for the deaths of almost 800,000 women around the world in a single year making it the fifth biggest killer of women after heart disease, stroke, lower respiratory infections and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease”, the plea had stated.
Menstruation still a taboo
Menstruation and menstrual practices are clouded by taboos and socio-cultural restrictions for women as well as adolescent girls in India which is combined with limited access to products of sanitary hygiene and lack of safe sanitary facilities. The government is also working towards increasing access to and use of high quality sanitary napkins for girls in rural areas.