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MENSTRUAL HYGIENE DAY

Menstrual Hygiene Day will help to break the silence and build awareness about the fundamental role that good menstrual hygiene management (MHM) plays in enabling women and girls to reach their full potential.
Menstruation is a natural, normal biological process experienced by all adolescent girls and women, yet it is not spoken about openly causing unnecessary embarrassment and shame. India’s 113 million adolescent girls are particularly vulnerable at the onset of menarche. At this time they need a safe environment that offers protection and guidance to ensure their basic health, well-being and educational opportunity is realised. Lack of a separate and usable girl’s toilet in schools and a toilet at home leaves adolescent girls and women to face the indignity of open defecation.

Why does Menstrual Hygiene Matter?

Effective menstrual hygiene is vital to the health, well-being, dignity, empowerment, mobility and productivity of women and girls. Poor menstrual hygiene may cause stigma and ill health, and can lead to school absenteeism and increased school drop-out rates. Menstruation is a taboo subject across the world, which can lead to misinformation and the promotion of dangerous menstrual hygiene practices.
The issue of menstrual hygiene has been neglected and there is reluctance even within the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) sector to talk openly about this important subject. However, menstrual hygiene is gaining growing attention as a crucial aspect to achieving improved child health, education retention and gender equality.
To manage menstruation hygienically and with dignity, it is essential that women and girls have access to water and sanitation. They need somewhere private to change sanitary cloths or pads; clean water and soap for washing their hands, bodies and reusable cloths; and facilities for safely disposing of used materials or a clean place to dry them if reusable. There is also a need for both men and women to have a greater awareness of good menstrual hygiene practices. Menstruation is a natural process, but in most parts of the world it is taboo and rarely talked about. It has also been largely neglected by the WASH sector and other sectors focusing on sexual and reproductive health, and education. As a result, the practical challenges of menstrual hygiene are made even more difficult by socio-cultural factors and millions of women and girls continue to be denied their rights to WASH, health, education, dignity and gender equity. Menstruation is a natural process; however, if not properly managed it can result in health problems. The impact of poor menstrual hygiene on the psycho-social wellbeing of women and girls (eg. stress levels, fear and embarrassment, and social exclusion during menstruation) should also be considered.

Today, on Menstrual Hygiene Day, promise yourself healthy and happy periods with these hygiene tips.

What are general hygiene measures necessary during menstruation?

You can take the following hygiene measures during menstruation:
  • Take a bath or shower at least once a day.
  • Use clean undergarments and change them regularly.
  • Change pads or tampons regularly.
  • Illustration of bathing regularly, wearing clean clothes, change pads or tampons at least once every six hours
  • Wash the genital area with plain water (no soap) after each use of toilet and even after urination.
  • Keep the area between the legs dry, otherwise you may experience chafing.
  • It is very important to remember that vagina has its own self cleaning mechanism and an external cleaning agent like deodorant or soap should not be used inside it.
Dr. Shivani Bhardwaj

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