Kerala State Women’s Development Corporation (KSWDC) Ltd. has launched the second phase of its menstrual awareness classes in the State.
With the inauguration of the corporation’s 251st awareness programme by its chairperson K.S. Saleekha at Government Girls High School, Malayinkeezh, phase two of the Menstrual Hygiene Management initiative got off to a start here recently.
Adolescent girl students from Classes VI to XII participated in the programme. Bindu V.C., managing director, KSWDC, and block panchayat president L. Sakunthala Kumari were present.
The corporation had rolled out the Menstrual Hygiene Management programme and its component, the She-Pad project, in schools with the objective of making girl students aware of menstrual hygiene and proving them easy access to free sanitary pads.
In 2016-17 and 2017-18, it tied up with 250 local self-government institutions (LSGIs) for the implementation of the programme, with technical support provided by HLL Lifecare Ltd. Nearly two lakh students in 1,200 schools under the 250 LSGIs benefited from the project.
In the second phase of the programme, it is proposed to cover 550 government and aided schools in the State.
At the Malayinkeezh school, sanitary napkins, almirahs to store them, and incinerators to dispose of the used napkins were distributed and awareness classes on menstrual hygiene management held.
Reproductive education and sex education were also part of the awareness programme. As poorly managed reproductive tract and urinary tract infections bring a train of health issues in their wake, targeted intervention at the school level is believed to impact not only hygiene practices but also social behaviour of girls by removing the stigma attached to menstruation.
