A writ petition filed recently by a social worker for directions to the government to, inter alia, provide free sanitary pads to every female child studying in classes VI to XII, as also separate toilets for females in all government, aided and residential schools, resulted in the Supreme Court holding that right to education is a ‘multiplier right’, as it enables exercise of other human rights. The court stated that ‘inaccessibility of menstrual hygiene management measures undermine the dignity of a girl child and that the right to life under Article 21 of the Constitution includes the right to menstrual health’.
Observing that, “Access to safe, effective and affordable menstrual hygiene management measures helps a girl child attain the highest standard of sexual and reproductive health, and that “the right to healthy reproductive life embraces the right to access education and information about sexual health”, it issued a continuing mandamus to the government, to ensure ‘toilet and washing facilities’ – “that every school, whether government-run or privately managed, in both urban and rural areas, is provided with the functional, gender-segregated toilets with usable water connectivity, and that all the toilets be designed as such to ensure privacy and accessibility.
Besides toilets being equipped with soap and water available at all times, oxo-biodegradable sanitary napkins manufactured in compliance with the ASTM D-6954 standards be provided free of cost. To establish Menstrual Hygiene Management (MHM) corners equipped with, including but not limited to, spare innerwear, spare uniforms, disposable bags and other necessary materials to address menstruation-related exigencies was another mandate.
For ‘disposal of sanitary waste’, the court directed that a safe, hygienic and environmentally compliant mechanism be in place with the latest Solid Waste Management Rules. Each toilet unit shall be equipped with a covered, regularly maintained and clean waste bin for the collection of sanitary material at all times.
For ensuring and training about menstrual health and puberty, the court directed the concerned authorities to incorporate gender-responsive curricula, more particularly, on menstruation, puberty and other related health concerns (PCOS, PCOD, etc), with a view to breaking stigma and taboo associated with menstrual health and hygiene. All teachers, male or female, should undergo training to support and assist menstruating students.
What this judgment does is to urge us to move beyond conversation into execution, that erstwhile hushed school whispers are now resulting in measurable national productivity loss. In the co-author’s childhood years, menstruation was never called so. It was referred to as ‘chums’ – a coded word exchanged quietly between girls, layered with embarrassment and necessity. Biology was taught, but language was missing. Information existed, yet silence dominated. She was raised in an Indian Navy household, grounded in discipline, responsibility and preparedness. When her first period arrived, her father – a serving naval officer – did something quietly revolutionary for that era. He walked into a chemist’s shop and purchased sanitary napkins himself. There was no secrecy, no awkwardness and no apology attached. That simple act delivered a lesson India continues to struggle with decades later – menstruation is not a woman’s issue but a societal one.
Despite India’s economic growth, technological advancement and global visibility, menstrual hygiene remains among the country’s most underestimated development challenges. National health data indicate that a significant proportion of adolescent girls and women still lack consistent access to hygienic menstrual practices, with the gap widening sharply across rural regions.
Multiple studies highlight that menstruation continues to interrupt education for millions of girls each year. School absenteeism during ‘periods’ remains widespread – not due to illness or academic inability, but due to inadequate sanitation facilities, lack of disposal mechanisms and persistent social discomfort. When attendance declines month after month, educational continuity weakens. When education weakens, workforce non-participation follows, followed by a long-term talent and productivity crisis.
Urban India reflects visible progress. Supermarkets stock diverse menstrual products, fem-tech start-ups drive innovation and digital awareness campaigns have entered mainstream discourse. Yet, accessibility does not automatically translate into dignity. Even in metropolitan schools and offices, washrooms frequently lack disposal units. Period pain is often trivialised, and professional environments continue to hesitate in acknowledging menstrual needs openly.
India’s menstrual health economy – encompassing manufacturing, healthcare services, education initiatives and sustainable innovation – is projected to expand significantly over the coming decade
In rural India, these challenges intensify. Affordability constraints, irregular water supply, limited sanitation infrastructure and deeply rooted cultural myths restrict mobility, nutrition and hygiene practices. A considerable number of government schools still operate without fully functional toilets for girls. Under such conditions, awareness campaigns lose effectiveness. Information without infrastructure becomes symbolic rather than transformative.
Menstrual hygiene is often reduced to a choice between pads, cups or tampons. In reality, it represents a far broader ecosystem of care. It includes access to clean water, the ability to change absorbent materials safely and regularly, appropriate intimate hygiene without chemical misuse, dignified disposal systems, medical attention for irregular cycles and emotional support during hormonal fluctuations. When these elements are absent, consequences multiply. Poor menstrual hygiene significantly increases vulnerability to urinary tract infections, reproductive tract infections, anaemia and chronic gynaecological disorders. Yet, countless women continue to tolerate pain and discomfort, believing it to be an unavoidable part of womanhood. Discomfort has been normalised – hygiene has not.
Deep-rooted myths continue to shape behaviour across regions. Menstruating women are still labelled impure, despite it being a natural biological process. Severe cramps are dismissed as routine, even when they often indicate nutritional deficiencies or hormonal imbalance. Historically, ancient Indian traditions viewed menstruation as a period of energy withdrawal and rest. Over centuries, rest gradually transformed into restriction. Science receded, while control endured.
Globally, menstrual health is now recognised as a critical determinant of economic participation. Development frameworks increasingly acknowledge that inadequate menstrual management contributes to productivity loss, disrupted education and rising public healthcare expenditure – collectively amounting to billions in economic impact annually.
India’s menstrual health economy – encompassing manufacturing, healthcare services, education initiatives and sustainable innovation – is projected to expand significantly over the coming decade. However, progress cannot remain product-centric. India does not lack menstrual solutions; it lacks integrated sanitation systems, structured waste management and coordinated policy execution at scale.
Effective menstrual hygiene management must also evolve across life stages. Adolescents require education before menarche, safe school sanitation, accessible disposal systems and emotional reassurance. Working women need flexible product choices, medical evaluation for recurring pain, iron-rich nutrition and supportive workplace environments. Women in their forties and beyond must understand peri-menopausal transitions, monitor heavy or irregular cycles and prioritise hygiene during hormonal shifts.
Today, as parents of our respective teenage daughters, we witness a meaningful generational shift. This generation does not whisper coded words. They say ‘period’ without apology. Conversations are louder, clearer and increasingly confident. Yet awareness alone will not transform India. Sensitive leadership will. When menstruation determines whether a girl attends school, remains employed or rises to leadership, hygiene ceases to be a private matter. It starts to mock the concept of demographic dividend.
Sometimes progress does not begin with policies, funding models, conferences or even court judgements. It begins when Biology is treated with DIGNITY.
Kothari is a corporate lawyer and president, Council for Fair Business Practices; Mehta is a Women’s Hygiene Activist and member, executive committee, Council for Fair Business Practices