Editorial . . . . .
Menstruation hygiene is currently one of the most challenging developmental issues that women must deal with. This is especially true in poor countries like India, where institutional biases, societal expectations, and mentalities prevent women from getting the necessary menstrual health care. Even though it is a healthy and natural biological process for women, menstruation is still stigmatized in Indian society. It is still highly challenging to guarantee that adolescent girls are informed about menstruation hygiene due to the effects of culture and society on people. The incident involving IAS officer and MD of the Bihar Women and Child Development Corporation Harjot Kaur Bhamra, who made controversial remarks when a student asked her for cheap sanitary napkins at a workshop, demonstrates irresponsible and beneath the dignity of women remarks and ashamed the second half of the population of India. After a four-year effort that profoundly changed how people talk about menstruation, Scotland became the first nation in the world to offer women of all ages free and universal access to sanitary goods. In Scotland, local governments are now required by law to provide away free sanitary products to anyone who requests them, including tampons and pads. In terms of women’s empowerment and menstrual parity, this decision has since been regarded as a landmark throughout the world. This followed the Period Products (Free Provision) (Scotland) Bill’s unanimous passage by the Scottish Parliament in November 2020. Monica Lennon, a Labour MSP, had first presented the bill. As of right present, all public areas must provide free tampons and sanitary napkins. The law will make sanitary pads and tampons openly accessible in almost all public locations, including pharmacies, community centers, and youth organizations. Additionally, it will be required that students have access to feminine hygiene products in schools, colleges, and universities. Local governments and partner organizations have worked hard to make the legal right to receive free period products a reality right now. Lennon has been fighting to abolish period poverty since 2016. It has been referred to as yet another significant turning point for grassroots movements and era dignity activists, demonstrating the impact that progressive and courageous political choices may have. The Period Products Act is being viewed as a beacon of hope that demonstrates what can be accomplished when lawmakers work together for the sake of the people we serve as the global cost-of-living issue takes hold, Monica Lennon said in the wake of Bill’s passage. By guaranteeing that everyone has access to fundamental sanitary supplies, the campaign seeks to end “period poverty.” Due to their financial fragility, lack of knowledge, and subpar hygiene standards, many people who have menstruation struggle to afford menstrual supplies. This is known as “period poverty.” Working toward menstrual equity has been severely hampered by the lack of access to menstruation products and hygiene education. As opposed to safer but more expensive menstrual products, the vast majority of people in rural India still rely on dangerous substances like rags, hay, sand, and ash. As a result, they become more vulnerable to several types of illnesses and diseases. Menstrual shame is justified by taboos and a lack of knowledge, which help to maintain stigma. According to numerous reports, many nations have reduced or eliminated taxes on period products. These nations include Kenya, Canada, Australia, Colombia, Malaysia, Nicaragua, Jamaica, Nigeria, Uganda, Lebanon, and Trinidad and Tobago. There are also 12 US states and countries like Kenya, Canada, and Australia. New Zealand made the announcement that all schools would have free access to sanitary goods in February of last year in an effort to end period poverty.
In contrast, India only recently totally exempted sanitary pads from the GST. Worse yet, most women and girls in the nation, particularly those in rural regions, still cannot obtain or afford them. However, several schemes are going on where sanitary pads are made available by government agencies as well as by NGOs but it all needs public awareness. It has been a long struggle for society as a whole and for women specifically to find healthy strategies to control their menstrual cycles. When women in prominent positions say things like these, they not only ruin years of labour but also undermine the cause.