OCTOBER 25, 2018
Red Bindi, in association with partner NGO Pinkishe in India, is launching a unique approach to eradicating menstruation related issues – One Village at a Time!
In this program, we shall adopt one village and provide a totally customized solution to menstruation issues unique to that village – understanding demography and all areas of concern, addressing taboos, educating both men and women on menstruation and other issues related to women’s growth, supply at-least 2-years’ worth of reusable pads and make quarterly visit to supplement education and supplies.
We recently conducted a survey in the first village under this program - village Machhra in Meerut district in northern India. Machhra is small village of Meerut district in Uttar Pradesh, with total population of 3394 people with 1573 Females of all ages.
What we learnt from our own survey was hair-raising:
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95% experience some lifestyle restrictions and taboos associated with menstruation with the belief in impurity and being polluted as the most common stigma
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95% of the total menstruating females don’t have any pre-menarche information neither menstrual hygiene awareness.
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85% are not open in discussing the related issues with their mothers, sisters, relative or friends.
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Discussing menstruation with a male member is UNTHINKABLE
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91% use old and unhygienic clothes as absorbent during their periods
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20% of the girls missed school during their periods due to fear of spotting, shame & pain
Eradicating menstruation related problems, One Village at a Time!
