In India, the tragic murder of a 12-year-old girl, following her first menstruation, reveals a profound lack of menstruation - a stark reminder of the urgent need to address period poverty. This petition seeks justice for the young victim and pledges to shatter the silence around menstruation.

 

WHAT IS PERIOD POVERTY?

Period poverty, a global issue affecting an estimated 500 million people, stems from inadequate access to menstrual products, hygiene facilities, education, and waste management. Women spend approximately seven years of their lives menstruating, yet these basic needs often go unmet, with 2.3 billion people globally lacking access to basic sanitation services.

OVERVIEW OF PERIOD POVERTY IN INDIA:

1. Lack of Access to Affordable & Hygienic Menstrual Products => leading to unhygienic and unsafe practices during periods
2. Limited Menstrual Education & Awareness => leading to misconceptions/discrimination and social stigma due to taboos surrounding menstruation
3. School Absenteeism => impacting education for females who cannot manage their periods properly
4. Health and Hygiene Issues => limited access to menstrual products/restrooms & inefficient and sanitary manner of menstrual waste disposal leads to health complications/infections
5. Economic Factors = limiting access to facilities & affordability to menstrual products in disadvantaged areas/low-income families 

DETAILED STATISTICS OVERALL: 

Menstrual Health and Hygiene (MHH) is crucial for women's well-being and empowerment. Over 300 million women menstruate daily, but around 500 million lack access to menstrual products and proper hygiene facilities.

• To manage menstruation effectively, women need water, sanitation, menstrual hygiene materials, education, and a stigma-free environment. A holistic approach, combining education, infrastructure, and policy, is vital to address these challenges. Poor menstrual hygiene poses serious health risks, including infections leading to infertility and birth complications. Promoting menstrual health safeguards women's dignity and self-efficacy.

INADEQUACIES: 

While multiple national initiatives have been taken by India forth alleviating period poverty, still innumerable females face critical menstruation complications daily.

• As of 2022, menstrual stigma and a lack of sanitary facilities continue to keep millions of girls in India out of school. Menstruation remains a taboo topic, with insufficient comprehensive action to combat period poverty. Consequently, this compromises female education, future ambitions, the cycle of poverty, health, and self-esteem. 

IMPACT: 

Period poverty affects women, girls, and menstruators worldwide, jeopardizing their health, education, and well-being. Statistics show that millions face decisions between buying food or menstrual products, while others lack access to essential facilities. In fact, an estimated half of women and girls in developing countries resort to makeshift items like rags, grass, and paper, risking infections. This issue must be tackled to secure women health and empower women and girls to reach their full potential. 

 

MY PLEAD: 

It's imperative to break the silence, raise awareness, and work collectively to eradicate period poverty and ensure everyone can manage their periods with dignity and safety. 

I urgently urge the Government of Bharat (Indian Government) to Implement Nationwide Period Education & Provide Free Menstrual Products in Schools.

 

KEY PLEAD POINTS:

1. Emulate Scotland's approach to pledge accessible & free menstrual products for females in full-time education 
2. Allocate funds primarily for those lacking menstrual hygiene facilities in underprivileged areas. 
3. Enforce close convergence among the national and state government departments addressing Menstrual hygiene management (MHM) and gathering constant stats of menstrual health in each region – allowing to overall better know of status for all allowing government to send directed action and helping need individuals to be able to voice their critical help without stigma 
4. Provide and enforce maintained efforts forth mandatory education to BOTH females and males in every region of India regarding the following: menstruation, period poverty, and menstrual hygiene (access to safe products/responsive water/ sanitation and hygiene = WASH infrastructure). #AccessibilityAffordabilityAvailability 
5. Campaign at societal, community, and familial levels to recognize period poverty as a vital major human rights issue and encourage individual to voice out menstrual needs without stigma!

 

CONCLUDE:

The heart-wrenching incident in Ulhasnagar underscores the pressing need to confront period poverty. Misconceptions about menstruation can have devastating consequences. Menstrual health is a public health and human rights issue (UNFPA). Menstrual hygiene management is gaining global and national attention, demanding an end to taboos, silence, and stigma surrounding this natural process.

It's crucial for achieving this UN Sustainable Development Goal. Poor menstrual health infringes upon fundamental rights, such as the right to work and education, exacerbating social and economic inequalities.

While eliminating period poverty will certainly take time, it IS possible. 

It’s more than money investment to period products; rather, its strategic implementation and resolute enforcement of menstrual health/needs and education nationally. It's a public health and human rights issue that demands collective action from governments, communities, NGOs, and individuals to create lasting change.

Period poverty is not my, their, or your problem. It's OUR problem. It's a global crisis, but together, we can make a difference and ensure menstrual care as a basic human right. We must unite to raise awareness, provide access to menstrual hygiene products, and educate society. Demand justice for the young victim, and vow to break the silence surrounding menstruation. 

 

TAKE ACTION:

It is imperative that our Indian government takes immediate and decisive action to address this pressing issue and ensure equitable access to menstrual health resources for all. The time for change is now, and the well-being and rights of millions depend on it. 

You can join us by taking action on this issue here. Sign this petition today as we demand justice for her and vow to #BreakTheSilence surrounding menstruation while raising #PeriodPovertyAwareness!

 

We are still waiting for long-term change to end period poverty. To invest in not luxury but vitalities of life. Where there’s no more need to hide. Live life with pride...Have dignity and access worldwide. 

We need to raise our voices even louder. Join.

 

Thank you very much, 

Vineeta Singh & Nidheesh Singh 

We Care Act (nonprofit branch co-founders)

Stem Philanthropists 

CONTACT VINEETA SINGH​

CONTACT NIDHEESH SINGH​

WE CARE ACT

 

#Crimson Revolution #EndOurSistersSuffering #menstrualrights #3As

#BharatForPeriodDignity #EndPeriodPovertyTogether #TogetherWeCan