Menstrual health and hygiene continue to be a taboo topic.
Girls squirm, schoolboys sometimes make fun of peers, and parents try to “hush up.”
The West Bengal Commission for Protection of Child Rights (WBCPCR), in association with The Bengal Obstetric and Gynaecological Society (BOGS), released a booklet on “menstrual hygiene and reproductive well-being” on Sunday for a wider dissemination of information and awareness.
“The awareness has to be equal among both girls and boys. If a schoolgirl gets a stain on her uniform, neither she nor the boy in her class should get awkward about it,” said Yashabanti Sreemany, a member of the state commission for protection of child rights.
The booklet in Bengali has tried to address some questions that can arise in the minds of a teenage girl who has started menstruating and break existing myths about menstruation.
The booklet has a pictorial appeal, which makes it an easy read.
The commission intends to conduct programmes in the districts to spread awareness about menstrual health and hygiene.
“There is a tendency to keep menstruation within wraps and not talk about it. Our objective is to break that silence around menstruation because one needs to know about it and talk about it. For generations, there has been an attempt to hide knowledge and information on menstruation, something which is a gender issue as well,” said Tulika Das, chairperson, WBCPCR.
“A change is setting in, and since it’s happening, we need to work at a faster pace,” said Das.
The objective is to address students directly and answer their questions, which often remain unanswered.
“If there is overflow, menstruation is delayed for several months, or if there are cramps, does one need to consult a doctor. There is a health issue associated with it, and one needs to be aware of it to address it,” said Sreemany.
The Sunday event brought together professionals from medicine, psychiatry, gynaecology and paediatrics, along with government officials and representatives of NGOs.