HYDERABAD: While there is an overall upswing in usage of menstrual hygiene products going up from 76% to 93% between 2016- 2020, currently only 91% of rural women use a hygienic method of menstrual protection as per the latest NFHS report.
However, taboo related to menstrual hygiene remain rampant and there is still a considerable segment of the female population who is subjected to menstrual prejudice, not just in the state but even in Hyderabad city.
To commemorate Menstrual Hygiene Day, one must acknowledge that menstruation is a natural part of life and that the taboos around it must be eliminated, experts opined.
"Although I am not stopped from using common areas but whenever there are male relatives around or there are guests at home during my period time, I am asked to be extra careful. The whole idea is to ensure that no one gets a whiff that I am on my periods," said Sreeja (name changed on request), a college student.
"I have been asked to stay at home during periods even if we have a marriage in the family. It is extremely depressing to be kept out of the social circle," added another youngster from the city.
Right from having to hide the fact that they are on a period, to buying sanitary products wrapped in black paper bags and avoiding social functions, visiting religious places are all part of the taboo.
"These social barriers hamper the wellbeing of women. Menstrual hygiene and the taboos around it are hardly spoken in public spaces. Only open conversations can help normalise menstruation and during our campaign we have seen that many men were completely clueless about these issue," said Arun Daniel Yellamaty, founder Youngistaan Foundation which had a monthlong campaign on breaking taboos.
These taboos also come in the way of using hygienic methods for menstrual protection and some who did not have an easy access switched to alternate methods like old cloth. The NFHS-5 has pointed out that 17% of women in the 15-24 age group use cloth.
