By- Anjali Busar and Vaibhav Gaur
Menstruation is a natural and essential part of the reproductive cycle; roughly half the human population has or will experience it. But too often, menstruation is shrouded in mystery, leading to exclusion, neglect and discrimination. All the menstruating women and girls have encountered countless battles starting from enduring the irrational socio-cultural shenanigans to being deprived of basic menstrual infrastructure. The myths and stigmas aligned with menstruation by ultra conservative people of the society have jeopardized the realization of basic human rights of women all around the globe. The authors through this article endeavour to highlight the nexus between period poverty and infringement of human rights to equality, health and hygiene, living with dignity and others, coupled with suggesting applicative proposals to end this sheer gender discrimination.
INTERRELATION OF EQUALITY AND PERIOD POVERTY –
In common parlance, the discourse on poverty is unidirectional. We fail to think about poverty as a multi-faceted stumbling block. Period poverty, in general terms, means the lack of access to sanitary products, menstrual hygiene education, toilets, hand washing facilities, and/ or waste management. One may ponder as to how and why period poverty is an issue that needs universal attention. The reason is as plain as daylight- violation of basic human rights such as equality, education, health and dignity.
According to WHO, at least 500 million girls and women globally lack adequate facilities for menstrual hygiene management (MHM). Inadequate WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene) facilities for 500 million women and girls globally, particularly in public places, such as in schools, workplaces or health centres, can pose a major obstacle to women and girls. Period Poverty is federated with basic human dignity.However, it can also be directly linked to equality, the sentiment that the world is trying to achieve but is probably not serious for, because while WASH facilities may be available to men, they are generally not for women.
Bearing in mind the COVID-19 pandemic, the state of affairs has become even more miserable as sanitary pads were kept out of the list of essential commodities when the first lockdown was imposed by the Indian government. It is shocking to witness that the country which idolizes the idea of equality has failed to give it a physical form. This clearly highlights the disregard that the policy makers have towards the genuine cause of menstrual health and hygiene. The dearth of policies regarding menstrual hygiene was exposed in a way that probably none of the advocates for menstrual hygiene would have ever wanted. The lack of importance given to menstruation has made it difficult for millions of women to handle it privately and safely while they struggle to overcome the taboo and stigma associated with it.
Denial of opportunities and serious lack of period leaves policies all straightforward constitute discrimination and therefore violate the Right to Equality. Period Poverty in itself is problematic, along with its ramifications. Owing to either inaccessibility or unaffordability, the menstruators might have to resort to unhygienic techniques to manage their periods such as dirty cloth, rags, mud, leaves etc. which would invariably lead to chronic vaginal infections.
Reservation for the marginalised sections is something that is and has always been an electoral promise in the country. Be it the recent case of the Maratha reservation, demands have been raised time and again and they have been fulfilled by the administrators. The authors believe that whilst the government can so firmly adopt numerous drills and tactics in hopes of uplifting the disadvantaged sections of the society which constitutes their vote bank, why can’t it with the same vigor and enthusiasm pull the plug on period poverty
DEARTH OF WORKABLE MANOEUVERS-
For the overall amplification of cleanliness and hygiene across the country, India launched its piece de resistance,known as “Swachh Bharat Abhiyan” which also incorporated methodologies and strategies to watch out for menstruating women and girls. It aimed to promote and spread awareness among the bourgeois in the expectation to break the silence and taboo hinging on menstruation.
In addition to the Swachh Bharat Mission, various initiatives such as “SABLA”programme of Ministry of women and child development, “National Rural Livelihood Mission”by Ministry of rural development and“Menstrual Hygiene Scheme”by Ministry of Health and Family Welfarehave been materialized to create a world in which every woman and girl can manage her menstruation with dignity in a private, safe and hygienic way.Ideas like :Suvidha Pads” scheme are still unknown to the masses. It is a scheme in which the government tried to make menstruation affordable for everyone.
Despite the availability of numerous effective schemes, the current status quo exhibits that the progress made is not substantial.A simple natural process experienced by every girl cannot act as an obstruction for the materialization of human rights.The government must ensure in all its efforts that women are brought at par with men. An initiative of installing menstrual friendly toilets can be a cure for all ills. The establishment of such washrooms should be made compulsory at each and every school and a law should be enacted to ensure that along with maintaining the menstrual infrastructure, free pads are also given to all the menstruators.
Special efforts can be made to tackle down the problem of lack of WASH infrastructure in schools which results in dropouts at school. The government can make an inter-ministerial permanent panel to cater to the policies relating to menstruation. The male community should be involved in the discussion revolving around periods to shatter the stigma and silence. Accessibility of affordable sanitary products to manage menstruation and the product of the choice of the menstruation should be prioritized.
There is a need to officially support organizations and human rights activists who are relentlessly working to throw away well-entrenched rigid notions pertaining to menstruation. It is crucial to encourage and further such institutions as the government alone cannot eradicate period poverty. The combined efforts of the populace and the administration will catalyze the process of removing the evil of period poverty from its roots.
It is outrageous to see that an act which is purely biological and on which women have no control can oddly swarm so much humiliation, guilt, and rejection from the society. Stigma surrounding periods is driven by religion and culture. Young women are labelled as “impure” or “dirty”; arbitrarily denied access to places of worship; and unable to bathe or cook because of the horror and impurity of the period. Because of these cultural attitudes, many women around the world are also denied access to sanitary products or services. With the aim to promote nation-wide menstrual equality and ensure that every woman has access to at least minimal menstrual infrastructure such as sanitary pads/tampons, WASH facilities etc, the idea of bringing above-mentioned real-world counter-measures in motion becomes the pressing priority. Eliminating period poverty must be prioritized and it is high time that the menstruator specific laws are enacted and the focus shifts to rights and not just awareness so that equality and dignity that we talk about very often are achieved in the true sense.
(Anjali and Vaibhav are members of our Editorial Team. They may be contacted via mail at anjalibusar@gmail.com and/or vaibhav1168.law@gmail.com )
The RMLNLU Constitutional Law & Public Policy Blog 
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