An initiative by a non-profit organization in Mumbai, Maharashtra aims to address the social and cultural stigma associated with menstruation, one of the factors contributing to high school dropout rates among teenage girls.
Under 'Ujaas', an initiative launched in collaboration with the state government, awareness sessions are conducted in government schools.
Advaitesha Birla, founder of Ujaas, said at least 20 per cent of girls drop out of school when they reach puberty due to lack of menstrual hygiene facilities, which also contributes to school absenteeism.
She said, “According to reports, it is estimated that 23 million girls drop out of school annually due to menstrual-related issues. We feel that increasing awareness, access and affordability will help reduce the dropout rate, especially in the countryside." earlier this week.
This initiative has been started by Aditya Birla Education Trust.
Birla said lack of awareness on menstrual hygiene leads to infections and reproductive health problems, menstrual disorders, psychological distress, pregnancy complications.
“Many girls don't even know what menstruation is until their first period, which we found early on was a significant gap in knowledge. Our aim was to engage girls, parents, community members, teachers and boys. The aim is to create a supportive and positive ecosystem.We focus on affordability and accessibility by distributing sanitary napkins for free, ensuring that girls have the resources they need once they are aware,” he said.
Birla said, “We have permission from SCERT (State Council of Educational Research and Training) and we are working towards getting approval for more schools. This shows the government's interest in supporting this initiative. "
She said that in many cases, schools and local communities are initially unwilling to allow awareness sessions to be conducted due to the stigma associated with menstruation.
“People are reluctant to conduct these sessions, often citing previous attempts or other priorities like exams.Social and cultural barriers make girls too embarrassed to talk about this topic. Once we overcome the initial resistance, we see significant progress. Often both principals and teachers acknowledge the positive impact of our sessions, Birla said.
In collaboration with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Ujaas has also launched a production unit for reusable sanitary napkins in Jalna, Central Maharashtra.
“We have started training the women and now we have a fully functioning production unit in Jalna with 25 SHG women.We are planning to expand this model to other parts of the country once it is established and see how this unit is working,” Birla said.
Under 'Ujaas', an initiative launched in collaboration with the state government, awareness sessions are conducted in government schools.
Advaitesha Birla, founder of Ujaas, said at least 20 per cent of girls drop out of school when they reach puberty due to lack of menstrual hygiene facilities, which also contributes to school absenteeism.
She said, “According to reports, it is estimated that 23 million girls drop out of school annually due to menstrual-related issues. We feel that increasing awareness, access and affordability will help reduce the dropout rate, especially in the countryside." earlier this week.
This initiative has been started by Aditya Birla Education Trust.
Birla said lack of awareness on menstrual hygiene leads to infections and reproductive health problems, menstrual disorders, psychological distress, pregnancy complications.
“Many girls don't even know what menstruation is until their first period, which we found early on was a significant gap in knowledge. Our aim was to engage girls, parents, community members, teachers and boys. The aim is to create a supportive and positive ecosystem.We focus on affordability and accessibility by distributing sanitary napkins for free, ensuring that girls have the resources they need once they are aware,” he said.
Birla said, “We have permission from SCERT (State Council of Educational Research and Training) and we are working towards getting approval for more schools. This shows the government's interest in supporting this initiative. "
She said that in many cases, schools and local communities are initially unwilling to allow awareness sessions to be conducted due to the stigma associated with menstruation.
“People are reluctant to conduct these sessions, often citing previous attempts or other priorities like exams.Social and cultural barriers make girls too embarrassed to talk about this topic. Once we overcome the initial resistance, we see significant progress. Often both principals and teachers acknowledge the positive impact of our sessions, Birla said.
In collaboration with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Ujaas has also launched a production unit for reusable sanitary napkins in Jalna, Central Maharashtra.
“We have started training the women and now we have a fully functioning production unit in Jalna with 25 SHG women.We are planning to expand this model to other parts of the country once it is established and see how this unit is working,” Birla said.
