Entry for The Stayfree & Healthy Day contest
Sometimes, life may be a bit harsh but if
some basic facts are overlooked, it can be even more torturous than hell.
Missing woods for the trees is a specialty of our government that most of the time
claims to focus on areas like education and infrastructural development schemes
for rural areas. However, what we fail to realize is that education is a ‘superstructure’
that is, it requires a foundation to stand upon. That foundation often lies
neglected and hence all such super-schemes fall flat on their faces. I am
talking about the very basic thing called the hygiene, the female hygiene
especially, because it is rather more complex in nature. Unfortunately, even in
this era of ‘India Shining’, girl children are still considered an unwanted
responsibility or ‘amaanat’ of the would be-groom’s family. This is why even
their own parents do not bother much about their education and development. Add
to this the callous attitude of the insolent government; much of the
development of rural areas is left to kind hearted and dedicated NGOs willing
to lend some support to destitute village women living in abject conditions.
The statistics paint a grim picture;
according to a research study, ‘Sanitary Protection: Every Woman's
Health Right’(October 2010), carried out by the leading
information and measurement company, A C Nielson- a staggering 75 percent of
rural women do not have the required knowledge regarding female hygiene. This study, conducted on a sample size of 1,033 rural
women by a team of 151 gynecologists, was reviewed and endorsed by NGO
Plan India.
As per its report, almost 81 percent of rural women use unsterilized clothes instead of sanitary napkins, mainly due to price factor. The alternatives like sand, ash, husk, unclean rags and such things are widely used and increase the chances of reproductive tract infections by 70 percent. The price factor, poor financial conditions of rural women and lack of female hygiene are constrains that discourage the use sanitary napkins. More than 45 percent reuse their sanitary cloth and some 70 percent shade-dry them thus increasing the changes of tract infections. These facts are quite painful since a healthy woman is the core of a healthy family
As said earlier, education and such things
are superstructures, but we have to build a proper foundation for them. It is
certainly an arduous task but not impossible if we all join hands together and
spark a change. Most important change has to be done in the direction of
building a strong base for welfare of girl-child. Another very depressing fact
that survey has uncovered is that adolescent rural girls have to miss more than
50 days of schooling every year only because of menstruation and related
troubles. Even more upsetting is another fact- some 30 percent of rural girls between 12-18 years, completely drop their
studies because of inadequate sanitary facilities in their schools and/or after
they begin menstruating. Lack of sanitary facilities is not a new thing in our
country. It is one thing that has never been taken seriously but in fact is one
of the most basic elements in the development of a healthy country. We need to
create a strong base first not ignoring this important thing in overall aspect
of female hygiene.
Earlier, SNs were misunderstood as a bit elite,
a luxury rather than a necessity but according to the study- around 97 percent
of gynecologists recommend their use as a strong preventive measure against
reproductive tract infections, and even cervical cancer.
Some steps
can be taken by us so that we can contribute to the betterment of rural girls
and women.
1. Easy
Distribution- NGOs, no doubt, do their best but one
thing they can be requested and persuaded to add to their list is the wide distribution
of sanitary napkins at very low costs.
2. No
Tax
- Campaigning against the taxation of sanitary napkins is must. We can start a
sign petition and involve more and more people into the wave. Government should
be requested to include SNs under essential health items.
3. Low
Cost Versions- With a majority of rural women
compromising on their health due to price factors, local cottage industries
should be persuaded to make low cost napkins especially for poor womenfolk.
4. Sanitary
Bank-
Creation of a ‘Sanitary Napkin Bank’ where urban women can donate as per their
wish can be very helpful.
5. Vending
Machines - In schools, primary health centres and rural
areas to ensure availability of SNs at all times at very low cost can be
extremely helpful.
6. Clean
& Safe Ladies Toilets- Most of the time, girl miss
schools due to poor toilets and washrooms. This aspect needs special attention.
Proper ladies toilets in schools can curb the high dropout rate.
7. Educating
Maids - About the hygiene and infections- Charity starts
at home- educating your maid about use and health benefits of sanitary napkins
can be a small but a significant step in this direction.
8. Group Power-
Lastly, those who have both, a will and some time, can make a group and visit
under privileged schools for educating girls about female hygiene.
Choosing a
SN like ‘Stayfree’ is also a step towards betterment since some proceeds
on every pack sold go to UNICEF. These are some steps we can undertake to make
the lives of rural women better. If we really wish to develop, we need to come
out of our stifling cultural cocoons as well for we still believe in mindless
myths and taboos attached to menstruation.
We cannot become a superpower or even a
developed nation with such dwindling bases. In fact, 100 percent in Singapore, 88
percent in Japan but mere 12 percent of women in India, use SNs. The Union Health Ministry has declared some
initiatives to provide SNs at very low prices, this scheme too, as usual, is
yet to take off.
It is
high time to start a spark of change for the betterment our less fortunate
daughters and sisters. As Mahatma Gandhi said ‘be the change you wish to see’,
we need to stand up and change what is undesired. After all, even in our
diversity, we are still related by one common bond- the bond of ‘womanhood’. We
all should help each other and enjoy true celebrations of this scared relation!
After all,
We Are The Spark !
