What is Centre's newly approved 'Menstrual Hygiene Policy for School Girls?

In a significant development, the Centre announced on Monday that it has framed a "Menstrual Hygiene Policy for School Going Girls," which has received approval from the Union Health Ministry. This announcement came during a Supreme Court hearing related to a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Congress leader and social activist Jaya Thakur.

The Centre referenced a court order issued on April 10, 2023, while disclosing details of the policy aimed at enhancing menstrual hygiene among female students. The concerned minister officially approved the policy on November 2, 2024.

What is the policy?

- Thakur’s PIL urged the government to provide free sanitary pads to female students from Classes 6 to 12 and to ensure the availability of separate toilet facilities for girls in all government, government-aided, and residential schools.

- According to the affidavit submitted in court, the new policy seeks to mainstream menstrual hygiene within the educational system, aiming to change attitudes and behaviours among schoolgirls.

- It highlights the importance of overcoming existing barriers that restrict their mobility and participation in daily activities due to low awareness.

- The Centre emphasised that the policy will facilitate regular access to menstrual hygiene products through appropriate survey mechanisms carried out by states and union territories.

- It aims to dispel harmful social norms and promote safe menstrual hygiene practices while also focusing on environmentally friendly waste management.

Data on toilets for boys and girls in school

In its previous submissions, the Centre reported that more than 97.5% of schools, including government and state-aided institutions, have separate toilet facilities for female students. Notably, states like Delhi, Goa, and Puducherry have achieved 100% compliance with prior court orders.

The Centre also detailed that 16 lakh toilets for boys and 17.5 lakh for girls have been constructed in over 10 lakh government schools, with additional facilities in government-aided schools. In states like West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh, separate toilet provisions for female students reach as high as 99.9% and 98.8%, respectively.

However, the Centre pointed out that northeastern states lag behind the national average, with Jammu and Kashmir offering separate facilities in 89.2% of schools.

Furthermore, on July 8, the Centre revealed that a national policy for distributing menstrual hygiene products to adolescent female students is in the advanced stages of formulation. Thakur’s plea highlights the challenges faced by underprivileged adolescents regarding menstrual hygiene in schools.