Students of the Indian Institute of Technology Madras have launched a social campaign called ‘UnMute’, focusing on menstrual hygiene management and self-defence training against sexual harassment.
The campaign is being taken up as part of Shaastra 2022, the institute’s annual student technical festival. The students have partnered with non-governmental organisations (NGOs), such as Chudar, Go-Hygiene, CRY, Sakhya and Swayam, and will conduct programmes to distribute pads in Bengaluru. There will be an online session on gender inequality and its impact on people’s lives.
The students have been conducting awareness workshops on menstrual hygiene management for school girls in the city since October 16. Every year, the Shaastra team identifies a social issue and undertakes initiatives to tackle it.
Ratna Kumar Annbattula, faculty advisor for Shaastra 2022, said through their campaign, the students hoped to create a long-lasting impact by helping women to pursue a confident life.
Approximately 23 million girls in the country drop out of school as they start menstruating, a report by Youthkiawaaz had found. Also, 62% of women in the 15-24 year age group rely on cloth during periods, it pointed out.
Nitish Gupta, co-curricular affairs secretary for Shaastra 2022, said informing women of basic self-defence techniquescould bring down incidents of sexual harassment. Women can defend themselves by identifying dangerous situations and employing simple techniques, he added.
