Breaking taboo, PM Modi speaks about menstrual hygiene in Independence Day speech

Breaking taboo, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday spoke of menstrual hygiene in his Independence Day address, highlighting the efforts made by the government to make sanitary pads accessible to poor women.

“This government has always been concerned about the health of India's poor daughters and sisters. Through 6,000 Janaushadhi centres, about five crore women have got sanitary pads at Re 1,” PM Modi said.

Modi’s reference to menstrual hygiene in his address on the occasion of the 74th Independence Day won plaudits from a wide spectrum.

“Happy that Shri Narendra Modi ji mainstreamed the discussion on menstrual hygiene & broke the long-held taboos around it by voicing it in his I-Day speech today & minimum age of marriage for women. I hope the state BJP learns from it. They are known to mock every initiative around it,” Shiv Sena leader and Rajya Sabha member Priyanka Chaturvedi said.

“Can other countries imagine a PM speaking of both women’s achievements and providing sanitary pads widely from a historic platform? If people don’t find this progressive and path-breaking, what will,” Jaya Jaitly, former Rajya Sabha member said.

Prime Minister Modi also announced that the government has set up a panel of experts to reconsider the marriageable age for women and an appropriate decision would be taken once it submits its report.

The minimum age of marriage for women is 18 years and for men, it is 21 years. There is a strong view in favour of change as this has not put an end to the practice of child marriages.