Female hygiene still stigmatized in India

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"I thought I was going to die when I saw blood," said 12-year-old Aarti Jain, who had no idea what was happening to her when she had her first period. She took many days to recover from the shock upon learning that she would have to go through this process every month.

But 15-year-old Himanshika handled her first period well as she was educated on the female physiology.

"My mother had informed me about this process, and we also had a workshop regarding menstrual health in school, so I knew that this was coming," Himanshika said.

Bags of sanitary napkins for distribution in rural India. /CGTN Photo

In India, taboos around menstruation pose many hurdles in issues regarding female hygiene in both urban and rural areas. The latest challenge came in the form of a Bollywood film called "Padman," which speaks to the importance of accepting menstruation as a part of life for women.

Patriarchal attitudes and feelings of shame surrounding issues related to the reproductive system stop women from talking about their issues openly.

Mintu Mishra, 40, makes sanitary napkins for rural women with used cotton clothes. When she first arrived in Delhi, Mishra was ashamed of her period. But after she started making the napkins she understood that periods are a natural part of being female.

Then she went on to inspire others by gifting them with the sanitary napkins she makes and helping them understand that it's ok.

"I explained to my daughter how to make sanitary napkins at home. I take some for her from here as well. I did not feel ashamed to talk to my daughter about periods. I was ashamed to talk to my mother about it or even ask her for a piece of cloth, but I take napkins for her," Mishra said.

Indian women make sanitary napkins from used clothes. /CGTN Photo

According to India's National Family Health Survey, more than 40 percent of Indian women from 15 to 24 years of age do not have access to sanitary products during their periods.

Many organizations are now making sanitary napkins for women living in rural areas who have no access to feminine hygiene products.

Anshu Gupts, a social activist, said, "I think access is getting addressed through policy. All those issues are being addressed, but more awareness is needed because even though women have access [to sanitary napkins], they are reluctant to talk about periods."

A worker packs sanitary napkins into a cloth bag to be distributed in rural India. /CGTN Photo

Raising awareness among young people is the first step to address the stigma attached to periods.

Workshops about menstrual health teach biological facts to adolescents, whose lack of knowledge often result in adverse health outcomes.

To overcome the shame is still a mammoth task in India. Small steps like distribution of sanitary napkins in schools empower girls to talk about periods without embarrassment.

(Cover: Indian school girls wave free sanitary napkins given to them after a workshop on menstrual health. /CGTN Photo)