I remember the day when I was in 8th class, seated in morning assembly and  I had my first periods. I had no awareness regarding periods and its management.I asked  my friend to help and she gave me an old dirty piece of cloth to use as absorbent. I felt very ashamed and uncomfortable at the same time. I was in constant fear of being noticed because I had seen boys teasing menstruators who had stained their pyjamas with period blood.   

After the hectic Day, when I came home, I started crying but alone because I had no courage to tell my mother about the situation. My mother had seen me crying. She came to me and asked what happened, I remained silent. She guessed and asked again, if I am getting periods? I shook my head to tell her yes. She also used the word “Bemaar”.  She said SsssHhhh, don’t tell anyone. Keep it as a secret. And the conversation around it ended for many years. I kept using old cloth pieces as absorbent. Uncomfortably, rashes, fear, pain remained with me for so many years. 

My story is the is the story of millions of other menstruators in Kashmir who are afraid to talk about what they are going through. Menstruation and menstrual practices still face many social and cultural restrictions which are a big barrier in the path of menstrual hygiene management. Menstruators are not prepared and not aware of menstrual hygiene management so they face many difficulties and challenges at schools. 

Lack of awareness and social support are the reasons behind lower attendance rate of menstruators in schools, reproductive tract infections and psychological issues. Periods are still considered as illness not as a blessing and it affects mental health of each one of us.

I am the co-founder and president at Sky Trust Kashmir and we have conducted a survey in 2020 in district Baramulla and Bandipora, survey included 66 students among 158 menstruators. we found that 90% of menstruators are having symptoms of urinary tract infections, 65% have painful periods, 56% take medications without consulting doctor, 79% do not bath during periods,says they are not taught about menstruation in schools, It was also found Menstrual flow is seen as dirty, polluting, and shameful.

Also, In Feb. 2023, school education department decided to distribute free sanitary napkins in government educational institutes among all female students of 8th to 12th standard along with awareness, access and disposal of menstrual waste under “Suvudha Sarathi”. Need is to create an enabling eco-system in schools where menstruators are not cursed but periods are celebrated. 

I urge Deputy Commissioner Baramulla and Chief Education Officer Baramulla to direct all  higher secondary schools of district Baramulla to celebrate World Menstrual Hygiene Day on 28th May 2023 and distribute sanitary napkins and do screening of a educational video on menstruation to aware students about the scheme and menstrual hygiene management. 

I along with 37 women like me formed a women’s wing to raise our voices to stop discrimination of menstruators and start conversations on this topic. Periods are periods and not any 'bimaari'.   We are here, need you too. You can support us by signing this petition.

#LetUsTalkPeriods