Around the world girls are struggling to stay in school when their menstrual hygiene needs are forgotten or ignored, yet the water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) and education sectors have remained reluctant to address the issue. As per data released by the United Nations in 2016, globally, 52 percent of the female population, or 26 percent of the total population, is of reproductive age. For all of these women and girls, menstruation is a natural, monthly reality. However, as the subject continues to be taboo in societies around the world, access to MHM materials remains limited.

Culturally in many parts of India, menstruation is considered dirty and impure and during periods girls are discouraged to attend school and stay at homes. The unavailability of sanitary pads, inadequate sanitation and absence of separate toilets for girls in schools, compounds the problem and has a huge impact on girls' school attendance and is a major reason for dropouts of girls from schools.

The National Women’s Commission recognizes the need to make hygienic menstrual products accessible and affordable to all women and adolescent girls in India, as easy access to sanitary pads has the potential to improve the quality of life for a large portion of women and adolescent girls in the country. Non-availability of proper MHM facilities in girl’s schools in India pose a great challenge towards their education and many girls skip classes during their periods and even drop out of school for this reason. 

Project concept

The proposed project is about providing adequate MHM support to few girl’s schools in Darrang district in Assam. Under the project, separate Menstruating Women friendly toilet blocks with all modern facilities are being proposed to be set up across 3 schools in Darrang district in Assam.

The Implementing Agency

The proposer Sreemanta Sankar Mission of Guwahati is a 35 year old Guwahati based registered society working across the NE region in the spheres of health, education and empowerment of women especially the women entrepreneurs. Sreemanta Sankar Mission of Guwahati runs two of its flagship programs – the Vasundhara NE Women Entrepreneur of the Year and Purvottar Pran Lifetime Achievement Award for social integration aimed at highlighting the successful women entrepreneurs and people who have contributed substantially towards the growth of the region.

Sreemanta Sankar Mission of Guwahati has been recently made a Nodal Agency for the NE Region by the NITI Aayog, Govt. of India under its flagship Women Entrepreneurs Platform programme and its Secretary General works as the Head NER of the WEP on behalf of the NITI Aayog.

Sreemanta Sankar Mission of Guwahati has proposed this particular project aimed at empowering the girl students and providing them access to scientific MHM practices in order to save them from the ordeal and ensure that they don’t face any hindrances in their educational journey.

Sreemanta Sankar Mission of Guwahati has been recently made a Nodal Agency for the NE Region by the NITI Aayog, Govt. of India under its flagship Women Entrepreneurs Platform programme and its Secretary General works as the Head NER of the WEP on behalf of the NITI Aayog.

Sreemanta Sankar Mission of Guwahati has proposed this particular project aimed at empowering the girl students and providing them access to scientific MHM practices in order to save them from the ordeal and ensure that they don’t face any hindrances in their educational journey.

Goals and objectives of the project

The project aims at achieving the following goals: -

• To dispel the taboos associated with menstruation in adolescent girls and provide them scope for scientific and hygienic management of their periods.
• To ensure MHM practices among girl students in the chosen schools.
• To provide easy access to standard and scientifically managed toilet facilities.
• To reduce instances of drop out by girls during their periods.

Project area

The project area chosen for implementation of the project is 3 school campuses in Darrang. The 3 girl’s schools selected are Bholanath M.E. School, Pub Mangaldai High School and Kathpori Sankardev M.E. School.