Mensuration Hygiene Day was observed here on Tuesday at Ravindra Bhawan in presence of key officials from Woman and Child Development, Education, Panchayat and Rural Development, Health departments, adolescent girls, frontline workers, UNICEF, UNFPA and WaterAid India.
Roadmap to strengthen Menstrual Health and Hygiene Management in Madhya Pradesh launched in the Programme. The State Roadmap is a guiding document developed with consultation from all the key departments and development partners to up scale the MHM programmes in the State.
State Roadmap is comprehensive in content, quality, relevancy and context whilst drawing inferences from the National MHM Guidelines and Swachh Bharat Mission inclusive of redefining its core components particularly- Enabling environment, Demand side determinants, Supply side determinants and Quality related determinants, with a view to enhance improved privacy, dignity and self-respect for adolescent girls and women of reproductive age.
Michael Juma, Chief UNICEF, Madhya Pradesh said that Good MHM requires that girls and women have access to critical information and resources to address harmful social norms and taboos about menstruation, adopt safe menstrual hygiene products and ensure access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene services (inclusive of disposal facilities), which have immense potential to enhance good health and wellbeing as well as ensure improved education outcomes for adolescent girls.
Nilesh Deshpande explained how the social taboos and mythes hinder the participation and performance of the girls and everyone has role in strengthening MHM awareness and programmes.
Binu Arickal, Regional Manager, WaterAid shared the overview of the MHM Roadmap and how this will help in up scaling the MHM programmes in Madhya Pradesh. MB Ojha, Commissioner Women and Child Development highlighted the importance on programmes on menstrual hygiene management and also explained the key components on UDITA scheme.
Rahit Singh, Add. Managing Director, Rajya Shiksha Kendra spoke about the education department priorities on strengthening MHM in the schools through providing the WASH facilities inclusive on facilities for disposing used sanitary product. He requested all for breaking the silence about mensuration.
Rajpal Kaur, explained UDITA scheme in detail. The celebration included interesting quiz competition on Menstrual Hygiene Management, over 400 adolescent girls participated in the quiz
According to NFHS 4 only 37.2% (one third) of the young women aged 15-24 years use hygienic methods of protection during mensuration, while in rural areas, the coverage is even lower at 26.4%. Lack of awareness on true facts about mensuration, perceived myths and misconceptions, poor social supports, inadequate services and access to essential menstrual hygiene products inversely inhibit adolescents’ capabilities to adapt effective Menstrual Hygiene practices.