Lack of sanitation, menstrual hygiene products at schools cause girls’ absenteeism, says report

New Delhi: A comprehensive report on menstrual hygiene management in India was released by NGO Sulabh International on Monday found that girls are “fearful” of using school toilets during menstruation owing to lack of water, soap, sanitation and missing doors.

According to the report, the fear in school girls provokes absenteeism from schools during their menstrual cycle.

“Our data indicates that girls are fearful of using school toilets during menstruation owing to lack of water, soap, sanitation, missing doors and taps, and even missing dustbins,” the report by Sulabh International said.

“This provokes absenteeism from schools during periods, which implies that for up to 60 days in a school year a menstruating girl is either unable to attend classes or goes half-heartedly, feeling ill-at-ease,” it said.

“It emerges from our findings that distance from home to school is not as big a deterrent for girls to miss school, as is lack of menstrual hygiene management facilities,” it added.

The report further stated that it is a “forced choice” for the school girls to stay at home during their menstrual cycle.

“If school girls do not get regular menstrual hygiene material such as pads, they find it safer to stay at home. It is a forced choice when young girls choose security, privacy and safety of their home to manage their periods over the dismal absence of sanitation and menstrual hygiene management facilities in schools,” the report said.

According to the NGO, the study was conducted in 14 districts across 7 states of India including Assam, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Maharashtra, Odisha, and Tamil Nadu.

The research involved a sample size of 4,839 women and girls in 22 blocks and 84 villages covering diverse ethnicities in the country's remote areas.

The report suggested that community toilets as well as toilets in workplaces with washing areas, bathing cubicles, and running water must be provided.

“If all toilets are more menstrual hygiene management friendly and safe in terms of sanitary dignity and security to change and dispose of menstrual hygiene products, then women and girls can achieve more robust participation in education and employment. Schools should be provided with separate toilets for girls with running water through tap connection and proper storage tanks,” the report suggested.

The report further suggested that toilets in homes, public places and workplace should be properly constructed with regular water supply.

“There should be a separate room for women workers in factories and farms, and in community and coastal workplaces to enable them to change their menstrual pads and clean themselves,” the report said.