India’s Period Poverty: 1 in 10 Girls Can’t Afford Sanitary Products

The much-talked-about fallout of the ongoing pandemic in India has been long covid and related mental health issues. However, a crisis that India faced prior to the pandemic has now been exacerbated. A 2021 study by Toybox, a UK-based charity for street children, states that at least 1 in 10 girls in India below the age of 21 cannot afford menstrual products and end up using unhygienic alternatives.

As India went into a lockdown in 2020, women and girls in India experienced a shortage in supply of sanitary products as manufacturers focused on producing face masks. For a while, the study states, these women-hygiene products were not on the Government’s list of essential items. This aggravated the issue of period poverty, driven by the fall in supply and rise in costs. This in turn increased the risks as they turned to unhygienic alternatives. The study added that about 70% of reproductive health issues are the result of poor menstrual hygiene.

What Is Period Poverty?

Period poverty is defined as the lack of access to hygienic sanitation, menstrual products and period education among women. It is one of the critical issues faced by women in the country and many NGOs and organisations are working toward resolving the problem.

According to the recent National Family Health Survey, the percentage of women using hygienic sanitary products during the menstrual cycle has increased in almost every state of India. However, many women in the country still lack access to basic hygiene facilities and bear the consequences.

According to Feminism India, many women in the rural parts of India still use cloth pieces, sand, rags, hay, ash and other unhygienic DIY methods during period. Since they cannot afford menstrual products, they resort to these make-shift alternatives. It often leads to skin issues, such as rashes and bleeding, urinary tract infections (UTIs) and other health problems.

Reasons Behind Period Poverty

According to Feminism India, the taboo associated with menstruation, high prices of sanitary products and ignorance on women’s health issues are some of the biggest causes contributing to period poverty in the country.

Feminism India also states that lack of awareness, access and acceptance have led women to use unhygienic products that often lead to health problems. Poor hygiene standards, scarcity of water and lack of toilets in many schools and rural parts of India are secondary reasons.

Education And Period Poverty

Research indicates that at least 71% of girls in the country have no “knowledge of menstruation before their first period”. Toybox report suggests that 23 million (1 in every 5) female students in India drop out from schools when their menstrual cycles begin. Girls who attend schools miss at least five days of their classes during periods every month.

To counter it, many schools started distributing free sanitary napkins. It helped many girls who otherwise could not afford hygienic menstrual products. However, during COVID-19, the schools were shut, and many girls had no option but to use unhygienic DIY menstrual alternatives.

COVID-19 Contributed To Period Poverty

During the lockdown, people were not allowed to leave their homes unless there was an emergency. Women and girls went back to using cardboard, toilet papers, leaves, newspapers and mud to prevent staining their clothes.

Speaking to Toybox, Pooja, the SURE Project Coordinator at CHETNA, said, “During the crisis, girls and their mothers have shared that they do not have any material to use during menstruation.”

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How To Reduce Period Poverty

While talking about period poverty, we also need to take into account the fact that not every menstruator is a woman. Thus, the country needs to widen the circle of research to help people facing the consequences of this issue.

Government schemes like Menstrual Hygiene Scheme work to increase the access of girls and women to hygienic sanitary products. It increases awareness around the topic and ensures the disposal of used napkins and products in an environment-friendly manner.

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National Health Mission has subsidised sanitary pads at the rate of ₹6 for six pads. ASHA workers distribute menstrual products among women in rural parts of India. Through NGOs and social organisations, we can also contribute money or sanitary products to help menstruators around the country.